


Powers At Be

by ml101



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Multi, Slow Burn, They Have Powers AU, They have powers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-06
Updated: 2019-03-30
Packaged: 2019-05-18 23:06:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 23,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14862029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ml101/pseuds/ml101
Summary: Frederick Chilton worked hard to get to a position of power. Ironic, when he himself didn't have any sort of human enhancement in a world where having powers was the norm.Maybe that's why Hannibal Lecter chose to frame him--a normal, powerless man. Or so they all thought.[Re-write of S2 from Chilton's arrest onwards.]





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [xevinx](https://archiveofourown.org/users/xevinx/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Bad Reputations](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13249578) by [xevinx](https://archiveofourown.org/users/xevinx/pseuds/xevinx). 



> This was inspired by xevinx's Bad Reputations. And well I might as well give it a go :)

The medics were shouting at each other and all Will Graham could do was try and tune out the panic and chaos around him. Not to mention the overwhelming feeling of dread and guilt coming from the man next to him.

“I’ve detained Miriam,” said Jack as Will turned to the other man. “I know this is a lot to ask but did you manage to get anything from her?”

Will stopped and swallowed. There were many emotions running through his head, most not his own but he needed to focus back at the interrogation room. Alana had been doing the talking...and then Lass came in.

“Confusion,” said Will all of a sudden. “She was confused and frightened...but she was determined that she had to shoot Chilton.”

“Determined?” asked Jack. “She was confused and scared but determined to kill Chilton? Will you’re not making any sense.”

“That’s what I felt,” snapped Will. “It was like she was sure that she was killing the Ripper but at the same time not--it’s a whirlpool in my head right now. I can’t give you--”

The shouts of the medics became more panicked and Jack and Will made a run towards them. They had stopped along the hallway and Will was confused given the state of Chilton’s injuries they should have been rushing--

“CLEAR!”

Jack and Will stopped dead in their tracks. No, this wasn’t happening.

“CLEAR!”

The medic called as he placed the paddles of the defibrillator on the man’s chest again. The medics rushed to do their job but Will could already feel a sense of giving up from most of them. He focused on Chilton and wasn’t surprised to not feel anything...only a void, an emptiness.

The medic tried to restart the man’s heart again but even Will knew the reality of it. The Ripper had planned this to the letter. Offer someone else who fit the profile perfectly, kill him so that he won’t be able to challenge the investigation with any alibi or evidence to say otherwise.

And then it hit Will like a punch in the gut...it wasn’t just the Ripper or Miriam Lass who was at fault here.

 

_Will what have you done?_

 

_I called Jack Crawford._

 

“I sent an innocent man to his death,” whispered Will as he turned to look away. The medic had dropped the paddles now and Will heard him sigh.

“Will--”

“He’s not the Ripper, Jack,” said Will, his voice barely above a whisper but the intensity behind them made Jack flinch.

“Time of death…” they heard behind them and Will wanted to punch the wall nearest him. He thought that with Chilton in custody they could get Hannibal to make a mistake, feel that he’s out of the FBI’s suspect list and be complacent. Instead he had sent the man to his death. He should have known that Hannibal had done something to Miriam. Finding her alive had already been suspicious enough and yet he hadn’t acted on it--

A tidal wave of terror hit him that made him dizzy. Jack called his name out as he reached a hand to steady the younger man. This wasn’t Will’s own emotion...someone else--

Will’s eyes widened as he turned to Chilton. “WAIT!”

The medics all turned to him, the other stopped in mid-call as he was just about to declare Chilton dead. “Mr. Graham, there’s nothing--”

“Look!” the other medic shouted and they all jumped out of the way as Chilton’s chest suddenly rose and the man himself gasped for air. The gaping wound on his cheek and the back of his head suddenly closing on their own. He was still covered on his own blood but it didn’t look like he was suffering from any ill-effects of blood loss...no, it looked like he was alright as he frantically tried to get away from the people around him.

Will felt a tidal wave of panic and fear from the other man as he moved to distance himself from everyone, ending up with his back to the wall and crumbling to the floor, his breathing harsh.

“We need to calm him down,” shouted the medic as they all tried to restrain the doctor and that snapped Will and Jack into action.

Will moved forward, his thoughts focused on one word as Jack ordered the medics to stay back. “Dr. Chilton, I need you to calm down.” He said softly, crouching down towards the other man. “Dr. Chilton--”

“He’s disoriented,” came the voice of one of the medics. “So far all he recognises is fear.”

“Could you--” began Jack but the medic shook her head.

“I can only read people’s thought process,” explained the medic. “I can’t make them think or do anything.” She turned to Will. “You’re not calm enough to project that to him. His fear will only overcome it. Find an emotion that’s stronger.”

Will nodded and gave up on being cautious. He slowly placed his hands on both side of the man’s head. Chilton moved to get away but Will focused on his own jumbled emotions and settled on relief. Relief that Chilton was still alive...that he hadn’t died. For Will, that felt stronger than trying to force his own mind to calm down.

“You’re safe, Frederick,” whispered Will, meeting the other man’s wide and terrified eyes. “You’re safe.”

Chilton’s panic slowly lessened and Will switched back to trying to calm his own thoughts and to project that same emotion to the other man. He was glad to know that the other medic could read his thoughts and she slowly came to kneel beside him, a sedative in her hand.

“Go ahead,” whispered Will and the medic gently took Chilton’s arm and administered the sedative. Will moved out of the way as the medics moved forward to check the man for other injuries.

He jumped slightly when Jack placed a hand on his shoulder. “We need a plan. Fast.”

 

xXx

 

“So?” asked Freddie Lounds as they all met in vacant meeting room in the FBI building. “I think it’s convincing enough.”

“Wouldn’t Dr. Chilton’s family want a funeral or something?” asked Price.

“No living relatives,” replied Jack as he handed Freddie her laptop back. “If the hospital wishes to organize a funeral, which I doubt, we can tell them that his corpse is evidence.”

Will turned to the open page of Freddie Lounds’ draft article. It’s an account of the bloodbath at Chilton’s home. The corpses of Gideon, Bev, other FBI agents as well as the doctor himself having been found...after a gruesome confrontation between the FBI and the Ripper (as the article states it), Abel Gideon. Lounds’ article states that Gideon had escaped the hospital to finish his initial attack on Chilton, only to be stopped by the FBI.

“How sure are we that he really didn’t do this?” asked Zeller, still a little apprehensive and (a lot) angry. “What if he’s playing us?”

“You don’t have a lightning rod for human emotions,” said Will, his voice neutral. “When he arrived at my house, he was an open book. He didn’t do this.”

“Why isn’t Dr. Bloom here with us?” asked Freddie, trying to change the topic.

Jack and Will turned to each other but for Freddie that mere act already told her the answer. “So what happens now?”

“We force the real Ripper to make a mistake,” began Jack. “He thinks we won’t be on his trail. He won’t be on his guard.”

“What about Chilton?” asked Freddie. “I’ve searched on this...he’s looking to be the first person ever with this kind of power.”

“We compared his blood from before he flatlined and after,” began Price, showing Jack and Will his tablet. “His biology transformed. His powers were awakened, lack of a better term, when his heart had stopped.”

He turned to Freddie. “And I have to concur, I’ve read almost everything about human enhancements. He is the first person recorded to have such an enhancement.”

“We’re not sure if that’s really what he can do,” said Jack as he handed the tablet back.

“Cellular regeneration,” began Zeller. “I checked him over earlier. He has his kidney back, though the scar is still there. Even previous breaks and fractures that we know off from his medical record are now gone.”

“Why didn’t it manifest when Gideon had cut him open?” asked Freddie. “I know Gideon’s ability was neutralizing other people’s enhancements, but wouldn’t have Chilton not suffered a loss of a kidney when Gideon left or when they had gotten him to the hospital?”

“Because he didn’t die,” said Will. “His heart didn’t stop when Gideon had him. You kept him alive.” He turned to the rest. “Enhancements aren’t necessarily present at birth. Some manifest after puberty or a change in biological mark-up. In Dr. Chilton’s case, after his heart stopped.”

“Do you think this was part of the Ripper’s plan?” asked Freddie and Jack raised his hand, knowing where things were headed. Lounds was fishing for a name of their suspected Ripper because it was pretty obvious that they weren’t dropping names because they didn’t want her to know.

“Ms. Lounds, we’re grateful for your help, but for your safety, it’s better if we leave things as is now,” said Jack as he motioned for her to leave.

“By keeping me in the dark of your suspicions?” asked Freddie Lounds with a raised eyebrow.

“You’re not the only one,” replied Zeller, earning him a glare from Jack.”

“It’s for your own safety,” replied Jack.

Freddie’s eyes narrowed. “You’re going to need my help with Chilton and you know that.”

“We’ll call you when that time comes,” said Jack. “For now, be careful what you say to anyone.”

Freddie sighed and left, leaving the four men.

“Gideon then you, Will,” began Zeller. “Now Chilton. Who else will the Ripper try and frame?”

“Technically it was Dr. Chilton who--” began Price but Jack glared at him. “Less talk, the better.”

“Good,” said Jack. “The agents with me when I arrested Chilton, the techs who helped the two of you process him and the medics have all been debriefed.”

“We’ve managed to gather any evidence that would contradict Freddie’s article,” added Zeller. “We manage to create crime scene photos with another corpse...though things would be easier if--”

He stopped short and clenched his fist. “We’re going to get this bastard right?”

“For Bev,” offered Price as they both turned to Jack.

“For Bev,” repeated Will. “We’re going to catch him.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My tumblr is: wierdogal :)


	2. Chapter 2

The drive back to Wolf Trap was uneventful and quiet. Usually, Will would be happy about that given his car companion but the silence was unnerving. He glanced at the passenger seat every once in a while but Chilton's eyes were fixed out the window.

He didn't fight when they told him what was going to happen. He only accepted the FBI jacket Jack had handed him, raised the hood and sat in Will's car. He hadn't spoken a word since he woke up.

But Will didn't need words to know what was going through the other man's head.

Fear. Panic. Dread...it was in waves that Will couldn't tell if it was his own feelings or Chilton's. From experience, Will knew that telling the other person that everything was going to be alright always resulted in either more fear or anger so he just remained quiet.

He debated whether to use his emotional projection on the man but thought better off it. The man was going through hell already...coming back from the dead to find that his life was now put on hold until Hannibal Lecter was caught.

When they had arrived back at Will's house, Will had directed him towards the bedroom upstairs. Chilton nodded and headed up the stairs, no difficulty in walking anymore. Will stopped some of the dogs from following their new house guest and led them all in the living room where he would wait for Jack's arrival.

Jack had gotten the overnight bag Chilton had with him when he first arrived at Wolf Trap and headed for the other man's house slash crime scene. They could hold everything as evidence and Jack said he would sneak out some of Chilton's clothes and any other belongings that the other man may need.

Will resisted the urge to use his powers and try and get a sense from the other man upstairs. Chilton had been trying to study him when Will had been at the man's hospital...but Chilton did believe him, one of the first few people who did-

He heard the soft sobs even from the living room. (He didn't need to use his powers after all.) He was still debating what to do when he heard Jack's car pull up.

"I don't know what to do," said Will as Jack opened the front door.

'How long?" asked Jack as he carried two bags.

"Just now," said Will. "Well that I heard...he might have been crying since we arrived."

"You left him alone?" asked Jack. "Will he could have tried and killed himself-"

"He's not like that," argued Will. "Chilton-"

"Is a different man now," said Jack. "Trust me, I know. I've seen this before...ordinary people suddenly realizing their enhanced. It's usually when some sort of chemical accident or with a drug or in teenagers hitting puberty and their biology suddenly gives them a surprise. The Frederick Chilton you know isn't going to be the same man upstairs."

"No, he's always been this man," replied Will. "It was just well hidden beneath all that false bravado and pride." He paused and didn't meet Jack's eye. "He was one of the few who believed me."

Jack's eyes didn't fail to hide the guilt Will's words had on him. The other man just nodded and headed to the bedroom. "I'll see if he has any questions about what's happening...and then I'll be off."

Will didn't make any move to stop or follow him.

xXx

"Dr. Chilton?" asked Jack, hesitant to just open the door but the soft sobs subsided and he pushed his luck. He slowly opened the door and wasn't surprised the room dimly lit, light only coming from the window. Chilton was on the bed, hugging his knees, head down.

Jack could tell the other man was trying to calm himself down and not show emotion to another human but Jack knew some things were just too overwhelming. The man didn't raise his head but Jack entered the room. He gently placed the bags on the bed.

"I went to your house," began Jack, speaking softly. "I grabbed some clothes and other personal items that might…"

Jack didn't dare finish that. The sentence was already stupid as he was forming his words in his head. How was he supposed to end that? Might help you while you're thought dead and living a life outside any form of civilization? Might ease your time while we try and catch Hannibal? Might help you come to terms with what had just happened?

Yeah, not talking was the best alternative.

Jack sighed when Chilton didn't raise his head in acknowledgement so the agent gambled. He slowly sat on the bed, a few centimeters from the man. Jack was relieved when Chiton didn't jump or move when the bed shifted.

"Look, Dr. Chilton...Frederick," began Jack, taking a chance with using the man's first name. "I know you-"

"You don't know how I feel," came the soft, resigned voice from the other man. Jack was too relieved to have gotten a response from the other man to care about being cut off.

"That wasn't what I was going to say," replied Jack softly. "I know you feel like your life has ended or it would have been better if you had died...but this is a second chance-"

"A second chance?" asked Chilton, finally lifting his head to meet Jack's gaze. His eyes were red from crying, tear tracks still fresh on his cheeks. His hands had clenched into fists but he didn't move. "Being declared dead by the FBI, not having a home or anything to my name, not being allowed any other human interaction besides Will Graham...this isn't a second chance, Agent Crawford, this is hell."

"This is temporary-"

"Do you honestly think that this won't be hanging over my head when you catch him?" asked Chilton, wiping away the tears that fell from his face. "Hannibal Lecter was a colleague, dare I say even a friend. He set me up to be his patsy!"

Jack didn't answer. He could tell something else was bothering the other man but he didn't press.

"Not to mention…" drifted off Chilton as he bowed his head again. He shook his head, wiping the few tears he had shed on his trousers and raised his head once again to meet Jack's gaze. "This new ability isn't temporary."

"You'll get used to it," replied Jack. "I was a late-bloomer too. One day I was your ordinary high school athlete, the next I lifted a car off an injured teacher."

"Yes well you still got them when you were younger," replied Chilton. "I was resigned to think I was going to die an ordinary being, no special characteristics whatsoever."

Jack felt his stomach sink at how Chilton said those words. What Will said earlier came back to his mind, Chilton was a man who hid behind masks of class and prestige but deep inside he was disgusted by his own image.

Chilton sighed and swung his legs over the edge of the bed so he and Jack were now sitting side by side. "All my father even wanted for me was to help heal people...be a doctor, be someone who made a difference, be special, be important. Power or no power."

He stopped and swallowed the lump in his throat. "I still became a doctor technically speaking, still became someone in the field. But that wasn't good enough. My mother was happy knowing that at least I had a good job, that I wouldn't starve or live in poverty...but for dear old dad-"

He trailed off, gaze out the window in the vast space that surrounded Will's home. "Even when I became the head of the hospital, he believed I never amounted to anything. A belief he's had ever since I was a kid when I never displayed any special abilities."

"Now you can regrow your kidney," offered Jack.

"Yeah and what will that give me. After all this, the medical field will have a field day," spat Chilton. "I'll be everybody's lab rat to further medical research and innovations." He paused and turned to Jack, a sad smile on his face. "Old man got what he wanted, pity he isn't alive to see how his desire for his only son to be special would end being said son's ruin."

"Experiments on human enhancements are illegal," said Jack. "That's law."

"And how long will that stay a law?" argued Chilton. "You don't know what the medical field is like, Agent Crawford. Many doctors and researchers have been waiting for someone with any sort of regeneration ability and sacrifice poor unfortunate soul for the good of mankind."

"That may be the case but-"

"You honestly think that the law won't sacrifice the life of one man for the benefit of all?" snorted Chilton. "You're way too idealistic than I thought."

He stood and went over the bags that Jack brought. "Hannibal must have thought I knew what I could do. He was probably betting on me wanting to hide my ability as my priority versus seeing him behind bars. I wouldn't go to the FBI, I would run for the FBI chase...a distraction while he is free to do whatever he wants."

"He didn't know," replied Jack. "Hannibal wanted to kill you, actually."

Chilton looked at him, confusion written on his face. "Miriam Lass was the one that shot you...Will believes that Hannibal must have manipulated her in making sure you would be silent."

He stood and walked over to stand beside Chilton. "If he knew about your ability, I'm pretty sure he would be eating you already."

Chilton shuddered at the thought. Would his ability keep him alive? Would that make him a source of unlimited food supply if Hannibal manages to find him?

He jumped as Jack's hand touched his shoulder. "You're safe here, Dr. Chilton."

"No one is safe as long as Hannibal Lecter is free to do whatever he wants," replied Chilton as he got some clothes from the bag Jack arrived with and headed to the bathroom.

Jack got the hint and headed out the room and back downstairs. Will was waiting in the living room.

"If we try and arrest Hannibal now, our only evidence is Chilton's witness testimony...," began Jack. "What do you think will happen?"

"Hannibal will discredit him, the FBI, whoever is involved," replied Will.

"I thought as much," replied Jack, running a tired hand over his face. "We also need to know to what extent Dr. Chilton's abilities are."

"If Hannibal can use him as a food supply for the rest of his life you mean," replied Will with a look of disgust.

"Which brings me to your other plan," replied Jack. "I don't really like you using yourself as bait."

"We don't have any other options," replied Will. "He's bound to make a mistake and that's when we move in."

Jack remained quiet but Will sensed it nonetheless. "I'm not on his side, Jack. I won't betray you. I'm nothing like him."

"I hate it when you do that," replied Jack with a sigh. "Look, I'm sorry if I'm paranoid but we're not dealing with just anyone here...what if we're wrong and he does have a mind enhancement? What if he's been reading our minds from the start."

"We've been through this-"

"He's played us all before Will," argued Jack. "I for one do not believe his enhancement is his ability to cook. That's just stupid."

"He's ability is attention to detail," said Will with a snort but that got Jack to lighten up a bit.

"Yeah attention to detail and yet his food is too bland," replied Jack. "Ok, we lie low for the time being until we have enough to make an arrest." He raised his head to look at the floor above. "Promise me you won't kill each other."

"From what I'm getting now," began Will as he also looked above. "He just wants to be left alone."

Jack nodded, promising to check in after a couple of days and then bidding goodbye.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for posting late. I was sick with the flu this past week.

**_Chapter 3_ **

Living with Chilton felt like living with no one if Will was being honest. Physically anyway.

Mentally was a whole different story. The man was a walking physical representation of defeat and dread that it made Will leave the house for hours when he didn’t need to go out. 

He wished he could make the man feel anything else but Will never really was good at being social. Hell he couldn’t handle his own emotions from time to time, how was he going to handle the emotions of man who had his life taken away from him and forced into isolation. Not to mention a man who had come back from the dead (technically and figuratively speaking) twice.

It’s been weeks and they barely spoke to each other. He knew Jack had brought some personal items for Chilton and maybe that helped preoccupy the other man’s time. They managed to avoid each other quite well. Something that unnerved Will to no end. Back in the hospital, Will didn’t want to have anything to do with the other man. This time things were reversed.

Will had even tried to join the other man for dinner but the man was elusive. He always managed to either be finish eating just as Will arrived or arrived just as Will was finished and had already washed the dishes.

Seeing as he had healed his previous handicaps, Chilton didn’t eat much. Will could tell because the groceries he had bought were barely touched. He even got some vegetable friendly dishes because he knew that Chilton had grown used to those.

The only things that had been touched were the alcohol and some chips. Not the healthiest choice but at least the man was still eating and drinking.

Sleeping on the other hand…

Well it would take a blind man not to notice that the other man wasn’t sleeping. His eyes were always bloodshot and there were a few occasions that Will had found him passed out on the couch in the middle of the day.

Tonight in particular was a bad one. Will had just drifted off when he heard the cries from the floor above. The dogs had all ran up to their new companion, something that both annoyed Will but at the same time he was happy at the thought of his dogs helping the other man in some sort of way.

“Dr. Chilton?” called Will as he climbed to the second floor. “Dr. Chilton are you alright?”

He rounded the corner and saw that the bedroom door was open and the dogs were all inside, some even on the bed next to the man who was sat up, leaning back on the headboard, hugging his knees, his head bent down.

“I’m fine,” croaked Chilton as he sniffed and shook his head. Will knew that the action was to nonchalantly wipe away the tears on his face but as he raised his head, the tear tracks were still there and Will just chose to ignore them. “Just a nightmare.”

“You’re safe here Dr. Chilton,” began Will as he gently placed a hand on the man’s knees.

Chilton nodded but then his eyes landed on Will’s bandaged hand. “You're hurt?”

Will’s right hand was bandaged around the palm. He had been working on a boat motor earlier that day and had cut his palm. He had some basic knowledge of first aid and a well stocked kit but the cut was deep and he had decided to have it checked out at the nearest clinic tomorrow morning.

“Just a flesh wound,” tried Will but Chilton gave him a look. A look reminiscent of the old Chilton back when he was the head of BSHCI.

“I may have dropped out of med school but even I know that flesh wounds do not look like that,” replied Chilton, his voice back to its usual tone. “May I?”

Will was surprised but managed to nod his head as Chilton began to unravel the bandages wrapped around his palm. “I planned to have it checked out tomorrow morning.”

Chilton only nodded as he continued to study the wound. “It doesn’t look life threatening and you don’t seem to have an infection.” He met Will’s eye for a second before bowing his head once again. “But I’d like to try something...if I may.”

Will was about to ask what but then the wave of nervousness and insecurity caught him by surprise. Chilton was asking permission if he could try out his powers on Will.

“By all means,” said Will but then stopped short. Chilton was a scientific man, left to his own devices he might have tested out his enhancement...to the dogs or even-- “Please don’t tell me you’ve been experimenting with your enhancement on yourself.”

Chilton glared at him and pointed to the discarded laptop on the bedside table. “Jack brought it and gave me a portable WiFi device. That was good foresight on his part, no offence but this place is pretty boring.”

Will chuckled, relieved to hear some of the old Chilton back. “What did you find out?”

“Well,” began Chilton as he rose and got his laptop to show Will.The profiler wasn’t surprised to find a typed out report by the man on his own enhancement. “Cellular regeneration is the basic thing I could come up with. The human body is capable of that on its own but it usually takes time and energy. Why doctors always emphasize on rest when a patient heals.”

Chilton opened another file, a medical journal about the human body and showed Will. “I think my enhancement is speeding up a body’s natural regeneration.”

“A body’s?” asked Will. “Not just your own?”

“Well,” began Chilton as he scrolled down and showed Will another article this time about human enhancements. “Much like most enhancements, I could probably use my powers on anyone as long as I’m maintaining physical contact...much like yours.”

Will nodded, understanding the logic. “I’m not sure how it will work on things like fevers and runny noses; and don’t even ask me about terminal illnesses like cancer or diabetes. But I’m almost 100% certain that I can close up wounds of any severity.”

Will nodded and offered the other man his hand again. “If you start to feel anything, you stop immediately. Don’t even think about hiding it. First sense of something wrong, any sense of uneasiness and I’ll knock you unconscious.”

“Understood,” replied Chilton as he sandwiched Will’s hand between his own. Chilton closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Will didn’t know what to expect and was just as nervous as Chilton felt (and the other man was nervous).

His hand felt warm, not scorching hot, warm like by the fire on a cold night. Warmth that felt protective and safe.

Chilton took a deep breath once again and slowly opened his hands. Will’s palm was healed, not even a scar to show that there had been a deep cut there a few minutes earlier.

A cocktail of emotions came off from Chilton like waves. His relief that it had worked, his amazement of what his enhancement could do, his fear and insecurity still present although not as much to overshadow the immense joy that he was no longer a useless waste of space of a man that he had always felt for most of his life.

“It worked,” began Chilton, the joy evident in his voice. “It actually worked.”

“Never doubted you for a second,” replied Will.

“I may not have have a lightning rod for human emotions, Mr. Graham,” began Chilton as he rolled his eyes at the other man. “But even I know you were just as worried as I was earlier.”

“Yes, well…” began Will as he tested his palm for any sort of side effects, happy that there weren’t any and his hand felt good as new. “Enhancements are always tricky at the beginning.”

“I know,” began Chilton as he closed his laptop and placed it back on top of the nearby table. “I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep now. Is it always like this when one uses their powers? It’s like somebody gave me adrenaline.”

Will chuckled. Everyone with powers would always attest that there was something exhilarating about using it at the beginning, when one is still getting used to the idea of having powers. He could remember his use of his powers the very first time and it left him feeling a bit high with energy as well.

“You’ll get used to it,” replied Will. “Was this the first time you consciously used them?”

“Yes,” replied Chilton with a shrug. “Let’s just say I’ve been a bit of a coward as of late to even think about them. I looked into it as though I was researching a patient who had this powers.”

Will was struck with his words and the emotions he was getting from the other man. “You aren’t happy with having powers, Dr. Chilton?”

Chilton sighed and turned away from him, going over by the window and leaning on the windowsill, not meeting Will’s eye. Two of the dogs, Winston and Buster, who had been previously by Chilton on the bed leaped down and went to the other man. Chilton’s hand immediately went to both dogs, petting them...clinging to them as though they ground him to reality.

“I’m sorry, I can’t seem to turn off--”

“It’s alright,” replied Chilton. “To answer your question, I’m not happy but I’m not disappointed either.” He sighed and met his gaze. “To be honest, I don’t know what to feel. It’s a bit overwhelming…”

“Everything has been and I wouldn’t fault you with what you are feeling,” reassured Will.

“But I’ve been a very rude houseguest,” began Chilton with a sad smile. “I’m sorry. I’ve inconvenienced you, intruded into your personal space and I--”

“Dr. Chilton, you have nothing to apologise for,” began Will with a raised hand. “If anything, I should be the one asking forgiveness...it was my fault that--”

“I got my powers?” cut off Chilton. “If things didn’t play out as they did, I’d either be on the run  while being hunted by the FBI or dead by Hannibal Lecter’s hands or in a coma. All three of those are worse alternatives than isolation.”

“More like house arrest,” said Will, as he stood as well. “Voluntary as it may be.”

“Yes well there really wasn’t any alternative,” began Chilton. “Though I had always imagined house arrest as having a sort of thrill to it with the possibility of snooping on your neighbours.”

Will grinned as he raised his wand towards the window. “Sorry the setting has disappointed you.”

Chilton shrugged. “I was bit harsher when Jack Crawford was here. I vaguely recall calling my current predicament as hell.”

Will raised an eyebrow. “By your tone of voice, I’m guessing your perspective has changed?”

“Left alone with one's thoughts tends to put things into perspective,” replied Chilton. “Being alive is always better than being hunted down by the police or being dead or worst of them all, being meat.”

He turned to Will, the profiler surprised by the fire in the other’s man eyes. “Besides, I’m not going to let Hannibal Lecter rule my life. He messed with the wrong man.” He motioned to himself. “And as I’ve proven twice now, I’m a very stubborn man to kill.”

Will actually laughed at that. “Well said, Dr Chilton.”

“Frederick,” said Chilton with a shrug. “We’ve been living together for the past few weeks, Mr. Graham. I’m pretty sure pleasantries can be dropped.”

“Well in that case stop calling me, Mr. Graham,” fired back Will with a smile. “Come on, I’m sure we both could use something to drink.”


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter 4** _

Frederick remained silent as Will concluded his narrative of his previous week. They hadn't been conversing since Frederick had started his stay and so the other man was not in the loop of everything that has been going on.

"So you're his patient again," began Frederick as he drained his glass. "And you just concluded a case where there was a bird, who was alive, inside a dead woman who was inside a dead horse…"

"That pretty much sums that up," replied Will as he refilled Frederick's glass.

"Doesn't one of your CSI have an x-ray like ability and why he chose to specialize in determining victims' cause of death?" asked Frederick. "What's his name again?"

"Brian Zeller. And no, he normally doesn't use them on the job," replied Will. "He prefers scientific method and states that his enhancement is sort of cheating." Will drained his glass. "Granted that's his excuse because he always states that Jimmy Price, the other CSI, uses his ability of enhanced memory far too often whenever they square off."

Frederick snorted but did not comment after that, making Will squirm. That couldn't be the only thing that Frederick would comment on from his tale.

"And?"

"And what?" asked Frederick, horrified. "Please tell me there's nothing else than what you told me."

"You're not really reacting to the last part of the narrative," said Will as he drank from his glass.

"Not to sound like your psychiatrist, Will," began Frederick as he drained his glass in one swallow. "But wanting to kill someone as despicable as that social worker was reasonable. But you didn't do it, you took him into custody and did the right thing."

"Because Hannibal Lecter told me to," said Will.

"No," said Frederick rather forcefully prompting Will to turn and look at the other man. "You did it. Hannibal Lecter didn't force you to do anything. I have complete faith that you would have reached that some conclusion whether Hannibal Lecter was there or not."

Will sighed and drained his glass. "That makes one of us."

Frederick studied the other man for a moment before he reached for the bottle and filled his glass. "If you're afraid of whatever it is your doing is changing you...why go through it? Why force yourself to be bait for Hannibal Lecter at the risk of your own sanity?"

"Because he needs to be stopped," replied Will without missing a beat. "The only way to stop him is to think one step ahead of him. The only way to do that is to lure him in a sense of false security. The way to do that is to earn his trust. The way to earn his trust is to offer him the right sort of bait."

Frederick's eyes narrowed and Will grew a little uneasy at the gesture. "What? It's the truth."

"Yes, just as much as the fact that those used as baits usually don't end up surviving," replied Frederick.

"It's not your life on the line here, Frederick," said Will.

"It's yours! Forgive me for being concerned for you," fired back Frederick as he drained his glass once again. "I guess someone has to since it seems like you have no regard whatsoever for your wellbeing."

Something in Will stirred at those words. He knew people cared, he did. But there something about hearing it being voiced out in a passionate manner that got to Will, especially when that someone was none other than Frederick Chilton.

"Just…" began Frederick as he set his glass on the table. "Just be careful. Whatever this game, this operation, this thing is," he turned to meet Will's eye. "It's dangerous."

"Like being an administrator of a State Hospital for the Criminally Insane wasn't?" asked Will.

"Yes, well," began Frederick, turning to refill his glass. "I've been given a second chance to reevaluate my career choices." He turned to Will, his gaze, piercing. "Can you expect fate will be kind to you too?"

xXx

Will shouldn't have been surprised when Brian Zeller and Jimmy Price appeared at his doorstep after mentioning to Jack what Frederick could do.

"Well he's really going to do this when he's resurrected," argued Zeller. "Might as well do it to save him the trouble."

By it, he was referring to the Enhancement Evaluation that is done to everyone with powers. It's usually done during a first sign of the enhancement during early childhood or puberty. In some cases, it is done after some accident which granted a person powers.

"His powers manifested after a trauma," said Will. "A psychiatrist is better equipped-"

"He's a psychiatrist," fired back Zeller. "Look, it's not like we want to do this. Jack-"

They were cut off by laughter from the living room. Will and Zeller exchanged a look before slowly walking to where Jimmy Price and Frederick Chilton were. The two were seated on Will's couch and seemed to be in deep discussion.

"What are you two talking about?" asked Zeller, catching the attention of the other two.

"I was exhibiting my enhancement," replied Price with a shrug. "Dr. Chilton doesn't believe me when I said I read his doctoral thesis and I just started reciting a paragraph from page 58, paragraph 2, I believe-"

"You've made your point," replied Frederick with a smile. "I've never really studied more on human enhancements, but that's amazing."

"You won't be having that sentiment when they explain why they're here," replied Will to which Frederick just shook his head.

"I was expecting it already," replied Frederick with a shrug. "If not now, when all this has blown away. People in my hospital where evaluated as they were admitted, as you are well aware of." He turned to Zeller and Price. "At least with them, it's not as hostile as I was expecting."

Will shrugged and left the two to do their job. Enhancement Evaluations were always stressful even if the evaluators were some sort of friend or colleague.

"I don't really know how to do this," began Price. "But a quick search yielded a few questions, some scientific tests and well a demonstration. But I don't think we would need that."

That and a few questions that Price had began to read but then crossed off his clipboard. Will could sense that the older man was a bit hesitant to say anything that might trigger any sort of negative emotion from Frederick.

After some routine questions (Frederick never showed his powers during his younger years. His parents both had enhancements.) and a few blood extractions, it was the time that Will was dreading.

"Please tell me you're not thinking of hurting yourselves and then asking him to heal you," said Will as Zeller took out another syringe.

"I'm pretty sure Dr. Chilton wants to know how his powers work," replied Zeller. "Extracting his blood while he's using his powers might prove useful."

"Or a waste," argued Will. "It's not like that's a 100% valid. Some enhancement don't have any biological markup at all. They just happen."

"Well ruling it out is always helpful," said Frederick as he turned to the other two. "I'm not really sure how to activate it...my powers." He made his way over to the kitchen and returned with a small knife.

He was about to cut himself when Will's hand on his wrist stopped him.

"Just a small cut," began Frederick. "It's not like I'm suicidal or anything."

Will studied him but sighed and released the other's man wrist. The emotion from the other man was answer enough. Frederick was determined. Determined to find an answer, determined to control his powers...determined and definitely not a quitter.

"Alright," said Will, resigned. "But let me do it. Get comfortable."

Zeller was ready with the butterfly needle and vial as Frederick sat down on the couch. He held out his arm to Will.

He winced as the knife made contact with his skin and Will couldn't help but wince as well. He made a short line and turned to get out of the way as Frederick nodded to Zeller and then closed his eyes.

The cut was bleeding heavily but then the flow slowed a bit. Will turned to Frederick who still had his eyes closed but he looked to be relaxed. Zeller filled the vial with the man's blood and that's when Frederick finally opened his eyes.

He found a ragged old cloth and wiped his arm with it. Minus the blood you wouldn't have thought he had just been cut with a knife moments prior.

"I'll admit," began Zeller as he kept his equipment. "That's pretty cool."

"And you say you can heal others?" asked Price.

"He healed a cut on my palm a few days ago," replied Will.

"What about animals?" asked Price.

"I haven't really-" began Frederick.

"And he won't be testing it in the near future," cut off Will. "You're not experimenting on the dogs."

"I never considered that," replied Frederick in a hurry. "I know my reputation for experiments and testing isn't really—but I never entertained the thought of trying out whatever this is on the dogs, let alone to any human being without their permission."

He stopped and bowed his head. "I've learned a thing or two over the past year or so about my, um well…"

"Unethical practices?" began Will but his tone wasn't hostile. "I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions."

"You were right too," began Frederick with a shake of his head. "I'm not exactly the most trustworthy person, given my history. I'm sorry."

Zeller made to reply but thought better of it and kept his mouth closed. He sighed but with the glare being sent his way by his coworker...he sighed again and turned to Chilton.

"Seeing as we're all in an apologetic mood, we-," he stopped short but shook his head once again. "We were all reeling from a friend's death and we sort of took it out on you. Not that there was any room for doubt because there was a lot of evidence and you weren't exactly-"

"I think what my colleague is trying to say," cut off Jimmy Price. "We're sorry for quickly concluding that you were the Ripper."

"I appreciate the gesture," began Frederick with a sad smile, an occurrence that Will was getting used to seeing on the other man's face. "But there's really no need. Like Mr. Zeller said, there was a lot of evidence to prove I was guilty. I wouldn't fault anyone for thinking I was the Ripper." He sighed as he stood. "Thinking it over, I'm glad I'm not dead or in prison and that's mainly due to all of you."

Will was still surprised by the change in Frederick's personality. Granted, he himself told Jack that he believed the man in front of them now was the real Frederick Chilton. The man beneath all those false bravado, expensive suits and ego.

Will had to remind himself that the man he was currently living with was in fact the same man who supervised his stay at the hospital while he was incriminated for the Ripper's crimes. Sure he had loathed the man then...but that perspective started to shift.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is shorter compared to other chapters but I had to cut here. Have some domesticity for both Will and Frederick! And a bit of comedy. :)

_**Chapter 5** _

"Will!"

Will was startled awake as his hand unclenched the blanket. Frederick's worried eyes were on him as the other man sat on one side of the bed.

"Must have been some dream," mumbled Frederick as he sighed and let go of Will's shoulders.

"Some dream," echoed Will as he got up and sat by Frederick. "I'm not sure if I want it to come true or not."

"Let me guess," began Frederick, not looking at the other man. "It has something to do with the famous Dr. Hannibal Lecter."

"More or less," replied Will as he ran a tired hand over his face. "I don't think both of us will get anymore sleep-wait, you couldn't possibly have heard me from upstairs."

Will said as he turned to the other man in confusion.

Frederick shrugged his shoulders. "Wasn't sleeping and I needed a drink." He motioned towards the stairs. "I had just gotten down when I heard you struggling with your unconscious mind."

Will nodded and stood. "I hope you were thinking of a stronger drink than water or tea."

"Whatever your preference would be," replied Frederick as they both headed to the kitchen. Some of the dogs following their two humans. Frederick's hand immediately patting the top of the head closest to him which frequently seemed to be Buster.

Will ducked to hide his smile. The dogs were taking a liking to Frederick...just as he was. He didn't really have reservations with the plan to hide Frederick out in his home. The man was annoying back at the hospital but as soon as Will had seen the man after what bloodbath Hannibal left-

Well, he just knew the the doctor had changed.

It may have something to do with the experience of seeing multiple corpses in his home, facing death a second time, or having an epiphany after getting his powers...who knows?

All Will did know is that the man drinking whisky with him in his kitchen was a different man from the one who wanted to study him.

"What's your plan with your upcoming therapy session?" asked Frederick, Will noting the hesitation in his voice.

"Play to what he desires," replied Will. "He wants me to become a killer, then I'll give him that impression."

Frederick nodded and Will sensed the nano-second spike of fear. "I'm not going to kill anyone, Frederick. Especially you."

"That's…" began Frederick before draining his glass. "Sorry. I should learn to trust you...you've done a lot for me already. But-"

"Trusting anything that involves Hannibal Lecter is a mistake," replied Will with a sad smile. "I understand your reservations.

Frederick remained quiet as Will both replenished their glasses. Will sensed that other wanted to say something more but it felt like Frederick was second guessing himself.

With a sigh as Frederick once again drained his glass in one gulp, he turned to meet Will's eye. "You say you won't kill anyone...but what if he forces you to?"

"I don't think-"

"I'm pretty sure you've heard the argument, 'It was self-defense.'" cut off Frederick. "What happens then? Self-defense or not, would killing someone automatically make you into a killer?"

Frederick turned to quickly wash the glass he had and gave Will one last look before heading upstairs but Will stoppied him.

"Not into someone like him." said Will, looking at Frederick's back. "Never."

xXx

"I still don't understand how this killer could have tamed a bear and a wolf to hunt together," said Will as he set the table while Frederick finished whatever he was cooking. "I mean, wouldn't nature make the two go at each other instead of working together-"

"Please don't talk about work while we're preparing dinner," said Frederick, his voice normal and Will was caught by surprise and found himself having no response to that.

Will had been adventurous with his grocery shopping as of late. Getting more spices and vegetables than his usual dog food and microwaveable dinners. He figured it would give Frederick something to do instead of going through medical journals about enhancements and the local news.

Will was glad his planned had worked although Frederick had complained that he was not Will's housekeeper but the man seemed to like cooking and Will wasn't going to stop him from preparing their meal...

We. He said while we're preparing dinner. Surely he-

"I-sorry, I didn't mean-"

"Will," began Frederick as he placed two dishes of what looked to be lasagna on the table. "I was joking. But please do try and not ruin my appetite by describing whatever crime scene Jack called you to look at today."

Will nodded as they sat down. "This smells delicious."

Frederick nodded as he started eating. "I haven't been able to make, let alone eat this since my encounter with Gideon. I'm glad for small mercies."

Will gave him a confused look. "The recipes was my abuela's...my grandmother's. I don't recall ever meeting her, but from what I know she raised me up until her death. I found the recipe on a piece of paper, folded in a children's book when I was packing my things for college."

"You must have been everyone's favorite roommate," replied Will as he took his own bite. It was delicious. "Frederick, you have a talent."

Frederick shrugged as he ate. "Not up to the standards of the other psychologist-cook you know, I'm afraid."

"More so," Will replied. "His food always needed more salt."

Frederick laughed and Will smiled, noting that it was the first time he actually heard the other man burst out in laughter and not just the quiet chuckle.

"I agree on that," replied Frederick as he drank some water. "Don't tell me him that though, I'm pretty sure the last person who criticized his cooking became the next item on the menu."

"And here I thought we weren't aloud to talk like that while having dinner," said Will.

"Making fun of Hannibal Lecter outside of his hearing always gives me an appetite," replied Frederick. "Especially when he's not here to do anything about it."

He paused as he chewed his food. "Maybe I should make a cookbook, an improvement to all the meals he's cooked up and giving it actual flavor."

Will snorted in amusement. Frederick was certainly in a different mood from usual. Well, if Will could put a word on it, he would say braver than usual.

"Anything amusing?" asked Frederick as Will caught himself smiling. "Or has my lasagna given you a weird aftertaste?"

"It's really delicious Frederick," replied Will. "And I just can't seem to wrap my head around you mocking Hannibal Lecter."

"Yes, well I'm taking a leaf out of a book I just read about transforming your worst fear into something amusing or comedic to vanquish them," replied Frederick.

Will was confused at what book that could have been but then he remembered the book on the couch when he arrived and he couldn't stop himself from smiling.

"Frederick," began Will as he started to laugh. "Please don't tell me you're treating Hannibal Lecter like a boggart."

Frederick glared as Will finally let out the laugh he's been suppressing. "I was bored and you have the whole set." He studied Will for a second. "Besides, you have the glasses and I'm technically the boy who lived-well man who lived, twice. Why shouldn't I compare my life with Harry Potter?"


	6. Chapter 6

**_Chapter 6_ **

Frederick was bored. His life has been one gigantic routine so far since he had arrived at Will’s home. 

Wake up. 

Breakfast.

Feed the dogs. 

Let them out.

Call them back in.

Lunch.

Search the internet.

Watch TV while waiting for Will. 

Eat dinner while waiting for Will.

Either read a book, go back to the internet or watch TV while waiting for Will.

Fall asleep on the couch while waiting for Will.

There was the occasional getting himself drunk while waiting for Will but the other man had seemed to notice his dwindling supply of alcohol and so Will had hidden the alcohol like he was some kind of rebellious teenager.

Frederick knew drinking wasn’t really the greatest thing to do given his situation. But sometimes wallowing was best done with alcohol. That or cigarettes but Frederick had quit that habit when he couldn’t jog a kilometer anymore without being out of breath.

Then Will had arrived one day with an armload of groceries. Frederick knew how to cook, mainly because he needed to survive and a man couldn’t live off instant noodles and microwaved dishes for the rest of his life. So he had a new task of being the cook of the house...giving him something else to research on besides enhancements, and the local news.

So his routine had changed from simply eating breakfast, lunch and dinner to making breakfast, lunch and dinner. The last one while waiting for Will Graham. He always prepared a dinner for two in case the profiler remembered he had a home full of dogs to get to on a daily basis.

Today though had been different and threw him off his routine.

A car had arrived in the middle of the day and Will would have been proud at how his internal panic only lasted a few seconds before Frederick found a good spot to hide and at the same time peer through the window on who could possibly drive all the way out to Will’s place that isn’t already working with Will on a crime scene.

At first he thought it had been Freddie Lounds but Freddie’s hair wasn’t straight and that had been a clear sign that this visitor wasn’t the blogger. Besides, the woman regarded the house with such curiosity. Freddie would have already tried to break a window.

Frederick tried to keep his mind blank...there was no way of telling if this visitor had some sort of telepathic enhancement and he was screwed if she did.

He sighed in relief when the woman took one last look at the house and returned to her car, driving off.

Frederick straightened and the dogs immediately went to his side. He got out the phone that Jack Crawford had given him to use in case of emergencies...well it wasn’t an emergency but Will needed to be informed.

 

xXx

 

“No, but I think I have an idea who that was,” replied Will as he shifted his phone in his hand. Jack glanced at him curiously but Will just shook his head. “Don’t worry about it. But to be safe, I’d forgo your usual walk with the dogs.”

Will let the the other person end the call first before pocketing his phone, not giving Jack a sideways glance.

“Anything wrong?” asked Jack as he made a turn, heading towards the place where Randall Tier worked.

“Someone went to my house,” replied Will, raising his phone. “He managed to give me a physical description and I’m pretty certain who it was.”

“This person didn’t see your guest?”

Will shook his head. “Do you know this person’s enhancement?”

“I don’t think it’s telepathic in nature,” replied Will. “All the same, I told my guest to not head out for the time being and to just stay indoors.”

“I heard,” replied Jack with a sigh. “We’re not making any headway on that particular case.”

Will sighed. He knew this talk was coming.

“We both knew it was going to take some time. He knows it too.”

Jack sighed but did not take his eyes away from the road. “I’m not implying anything, Will.” He paused. “I’d just like to think we were moving forward...at any rate we’re standing still.”

“It’s not like we can do anything at the moment,” replied Will.

“I can’t,” corrected Jack. “You on the other hand...”

“He’s right where I want him to be,” replied Will. “He’s beginning to think I’m some sort of apprentice.”

“Aren’t you?” asked Jack. “This man were paying a visit, Randall Tier. Don’t you think this is one of those previous patients he turned?”

“No,” replied Will simply. “He’s lost contact with Randall Tier from the looks of it. He didn’t know this person would become like this.”

“We’re not sure if he did anything,” answered Jack. “His beastly enhancement was reversed based from his file which apparently made him have his identity disorder.”

“Agility and strength of an animal,” added Will. “Which was reversed with some drugs and some sort of pacemaker on his heart.” He snorted. “No wonder my guest is apprehensive when all of this blows over.”

“Randall Tier’s enhancement was dangerous--”

“And his would be beneficial to the masses at the cost of his life,” fired back Will. “Do you honestly think the government won’t imprison him once that particular bit of information is released.”

Jack sighed as they reached their destination, giving Wil the answer he needed.

 

xXx

 

“So you think it’s Hannibal’s former patient?” asked Frederick as he washed the dishes while Will dried.

“He has the means of building a suit,” replied Will.

“Or his enhancement could have resurfaced,” argued Frederick. “Whatever drug therapy they used on him as a child might have worn off.”

“The fossil he used was a match to an animal,” replied Will. “Besides, the force that created the injuries on the victims could only have been made by a machine.”

“Hence the suit,” said Frederick in realization. “That’s one heck of an identity disorder.”

Will was about to say more when out in the distance he saw a pair of lights slowly making their way towards them. “Frederick, hide.”

Frederick didn’t need to be told twice as he dashed upstairs, some of the dogs following him.

He wasn’t surprised that his visitor turned out to be Margot Verger...and neither did Frederick.

“She the same woman from earlier?” asked Will as he descended the stairs.

“Yes,” replied Frederick suspiciously. “I can’t drink but she can?”

“She’s not wallowing,” replied Will with a roll of his eyes. “Besides, she had one glass and you’ve taken five bottles.”

“What did she want?” asked Frederick as he inspected the discarded glass.

“A character reference on Hannibal Lecter,” replied Will with a shrug as he kept his whiskey bottle. “She apparently tried to kill her brother and Hannibal told her to try again.”

Frederick didn’t comment as he was too focused on the glass Margot had left behind. He hesitantly touched it and was surprised at how cold it was. “You gave her ice?”

“No,” replied Will in confusion as he walked over to the doctor. Frederick motioned towards the glass and Will grasped it in his own hands. “Huh...that’s a neat trick.”

“Heat manipulation,” replied Frederick, his voice distant catching Will off guard.

“Frederick?” asked Will. “How--”

“My mother had the same enhancement,” replied Frederick, shaking his head as though trying to force himself back to the present. “She’d usually use it to make my milk warm to help me fall asleep.

Will could only nod at the introduction to Frederick’s childhood. He had never spoken much of his parents...but he could sense the affection in his words when he talked about his mother.

“Verger?” asked Frederick. “That’s quite a wealthy family, both on finances and personality disorders from what I heard.”

“That seems to be the case,” replied Will. “Though I’ve never met her brother…,but from the sound of it, he is quite a study.”

“From what I heard,” began Frederick as he picked up the discarded glasses and proceeded to the kitchen to wash them. “He treats pigs better than other people. I’d wager, he treats pigs better than his sister.”

“From the looks of it,” said Will as he dried the glass Frederick handed to him. “Margot is the same way in regards to her brother.”

“Well if that was how they were raised, we can’t really blame them,” replied Frederick. “If the only comparison of social interaction we have is that of our family---”

He turned to Will and saw he was silent, his gaze faraway.

“Will?”

“You just gave me an idea...a topic to breach with Hannibal.”

 

xXx

 

“I’m guessing it didn’t go as you planned?” asked Frederick as they once again shared dinner the following day. “He didn’t say anything that could incriminate him?”

“Hannibal always has a way with his words,” replied Will as he took a bite, and made a satisfied murmur. “This is new?”

“I’m maximizing Agent Crawford’s portable WiFi and looking at cooking tutorials,” replied Frederick. “Though, I think you might want to do some shopping when you go out tomorrow.”

“That soon?” asked Will, amused. “You’ve been experimenting.”

“Well, it’s either that or I watch the news and I’d rather not see my own death reported,” replied Frederick. “I’ve reorganized your bookcase, again, by the way.”

“What was it this time?” asked Will. “You’ve done by author, by copyright year.”

“There’s a guide for the Dewey Decimal System online,” replied Frederick with a shrug. “Maybe I could make a book fort one of this days...I used to do that to piss off my old man.”

Will chuckled, imagining the young Frederick Chilton carrying all those books to built some sort of fort.

It was quite a peace they had created. Will had been getting used to the fact that there was always a home cooked meal whenever he got home. Also, the idea that his house was clean and organized. He wasn’t the most organized and neat person but Frederick seemed to be one and the rare fact that the other man enjoyed doing chores was also a puzzle.

“There’s just something relaxing about the routine,” replied Frederick when the topic had been brought up by Will when they finally started talking to each other.

They finished dinner in comfortable conversation, Frederick moving to wash the dishes as Will placed their leftover food in the fridge.

Suddenly the dogs started barking and scratching at the door.

Frederick’s head shot up to look for any coming cars, but the surrounding area of Will’s house was dark.

“What’s wrong?” asked Frederick from the kitchen as Will headed towards the door.

As soon as he had opened the door, Buster shot out. “Hey!”

“Will?” called Frederick, drying his hands and making his way to the door as well.

“Buster!” called Will from the porch. He tried to follow Buster’s movements with both his eyes and ears but there was something in his gut that was telling him that something was out there. And then he heard, Buster cry out faintly.

“Will?” asked Frederick again as the other man dashed back inside.

“Stay away from the door,” ordered Will as he grabbed his rifle from under the desk and his coat.” Make sure they stay inside.”

“What--Will where are you--” began Frederick as Will headed outside to follow Buster. He didn’t dare repeat himself, lest there was someone nearby that would hear he had Frederick in the house.

Frederick tried to rally the dogs upstairs but they wouldn’t budge. He didn’t dare look out the window, afraid of something else looking right back.

Soon enough, Will returned with a badly bleeding Buster. Will handed the dog over to Frederick who immediately took the small dog in his arms. Frederick sat down on the floor and ran his hand over the wound...he wasn’t sure if his power was going to work but Buster could--

Will started turning the lights off.

“Will?” whispered Frederick just as Will closed the front door and started backing away. The other man grabbed Frederick’s shoulder.

“Don’t make a sound,” whispered Will, as he made to shut off the lamp that was their last light.

Frederick swallowed the lump in his throat as he tried to control his panic. He wasn’t afraid of what was out there--no, the look in Will’s eyes was the one he was worried about. He clutched Buster closer to his chest, trying to regulate his breathing so he could heal the dog--

He gave up when the window shattered.


	7. Chapter 7

**_Chapter 7_ **

Frederick was frozen on the floor, the dogs surrounding him in some sort of protective circle as the creature--whatever it was eyed Will.

Frederick turned to the other man, holding his breath as Will and it stared each other down. And then Will did the unthinkable.

He tossed his rifle to the ground.

“Will!” shouted Frederick as the creature moved forward, pinning Will to the wall but the man was strong and managed to shove the creature to the ground, destroying it’s head?

No, it was a suit.

And suddenly everything came crashing down on Frederick in realization. This was Will’s latest case...the man who killed because he thought he was some sort of animal, compensating for the enhancement that was taken from him when he was a child.

This was Randall Tier, the young man who was once Hannibal Lecter’s patient.

The young man who was currently being beaten to a pulp by Will Graham.

“Will?” called Frederick, his voice shaking. “Will, stop it. He’s--”

Randall Tier was what? Down? Hurt? Injured?

Frederick slowly got to his feet, wary of the man on the floor and of the man punching him repeatedly.

He slowly grabbed the fallen rifle and made his way towards Will. “Will...he’s down. Please stop--”

Will snapped the man’s neck.

Frederick’s blood ran cold. “Will…”

Will turned and snatched the rifle from his hand and amed it right at Frederick’s head, making the older man stumble back and fall on the floor hard.

Frederick raised his arms on instinct. “Will, please!” The psychologist risked looking the other man in the eye but there was no recognition there. Frankly, it reminded Frederick of Hannibal that day at his house…

And suddenly he was back there. His house littered with blood and dead bodies. Hannibal Lecter standing before him wearing some sort of plastic suit to make sure blood won’t stain his suit. A gun was suddenly in front of him, aimed at his forehead as Hannibal Lecter smiled...taunting him.

“Please don’t…” began Frederick as a wave of fear overtook him and this must have been felt by the other man as Will snapped out of it and took a step back, the rifle suddenly falling to the floor.

 

xXx

 

Will needed to end it. He needed to end Hannibal’s reign once and for all. And so he punched, and punched and punched as Hannibal’s bloddied face smiled up at him, mocking him. That he could never kill Hannibal, that Will didn’t have it in him to kill anyone, even if it was Hannibal Lecter.

Will felt the rage boil inside him and he grabbed the man’s head and snapped his neck.

“Will…”

Will saw the rifle and didn’t think twice. He grabbed it and aimed at Hannibal--or Tier or whoever it was that was haunting his mind right at that moment. He was not going to back down without a fight. He was not going to be anyone’s--

The wave of fear made him stumble and his vision finally cleared. He wasn’t staring down Hannibal or Randall Tier or the wendigo...he was aiming his rifle at a very terrified Frederick Chilton.

“Frederick…” began Will as he moved forward only for Frederick to crawl away from him. The other man practically threw himself to the nearest wall just to immediately put distance between him and Will. 

The profiler had no idea what to do and he just stood there as Frederick stayed on the floor, his breathing heavy and tears falling from his eyes.

He turned towards the other body in the room and Randall Tier’s lifeless eyes continued to stare at the ceiling. His ruined suit laying useless near his head.

Will couldn’t stomach looking at the body of the young man any longer but as he turned his head towards Frederick, Will couldn’t look at him either. The other man had been on the floor, his arms raised in front of him, as a form of shield against an attacker...namely Will.

Frederick had yet to raise his head and meet his eye and Will couldn’t blame him. The wave of fear was still coursing through the other man’s mind and Will didn’t know if he could project any sort of calm or feeling of safety towards Frederick when he himself didn’t know if he felt calm or safe as of that moment.

They were both brought out of their own thoughts by a whine from Buster. Frederick was the first to move as he quickly stood and practically ran towards the injured dog, his earlier fear forgotten replaced by worry over the dog’s well being.

Will’s heart warmed at the gesture but knew it was futile. Buster had lost a lot of blood when Will had found him earlier. Even if Frederick could use his power on animals, it might be too late.

“Just give him some food and make him comfortable,” began Will as he crouched down and petted Buster. He didn’t dare look at Frederick. “He lost a lot of blood when I found him out there...I don’t think there’s anything we can do.”

“But…” began Frederick as Will stood and lifted Randall Tier’s body. “Will where--”

“Hannibal sent him here to kill me,” began Will as he grabbed his keys. “He failed. I’m returning his property.”

“Will--”

“Don’t wait up,” replied Will, not having the proper mindset and emotions to deal with Frederick’s terrified look aimed his way still in his mind’s eye and the inevitable death of Buster.

Frederick didn’t have time to get up because Will was soon out the door and the car engine starting up was soon heard. Frederick was still on the ground beside Buster...fear still gripping his entire being.

Will had just reminded him so much of Hannibal at that moment that he couldn’t--but Will wasn’t Hannibal. Will was the good guy here.

But would a good guy really bring a corpse to Hannibal Lecter?

Frederick shook his head. He couldn’t afford to doubt Will now.

Will was doing this to get Hannibal to think he had won the profiler over. He wasn’t a bad guy. He was playing a part.

Buster let out another whine which made Frederick stop.

“Hey buddy,” replied Frederick, his voice gentle. He looked over the wound and concluded that Will was right. There wasn’t much anyone could do...but maybe--

Frederick sighed and tried to clear his mind of Will, of Randall Tier, of Hannibal Lecter. Buster needed his focus right now.

He gently placed a hand over Buster’s wound and concentrated. He had never used his power on the dogs before and he had no clue if this would work or not but he had to try. He felt his hand warm up and Buster began to bark weakly...he must be feeling something.

The warm feeling didn’t subside but Frederick began to feel a little lightheaded. He stopped for a second and expected Buster’s wound…

It was still bleeding but the gash had decreased in size. However, Buster was smaller compared to the other dogs and it still might be life-threatening…

With renewed determination, Frederick placed his hand against the wound once again, Buster giving a small sound in response. At least Frederick knew the dog was still alive.

Frederick felt that warm feeling again, something he was attributing to whenever he used his powers...but after a few moments his head began to pound. He felt or rather tasted something drip into his lips and he brought his other wand to wipe it away.

Even in the dark, he was confused to see his fingertips with blood. His nose was bleeding…

He’ll deal with that later. Buster was more important. The wound would probably close after a few more seconds of him using his powers. He just had to concentrate…

 

xXx

 

Will was slightly surprised that the lights in his house were still off when he had arrived from Hannibal’s. There were no tracks leading away from the house so he wasn’t worried that Frederick had ran away.

A quick call to Jack on his way to Hannibal had also informed him that Frederick had yet to alert Jack of what had happened with Randall Tier. Although, that would have been helpful since Jack’s doubt of him working with Hannibal had returned tenfold.

Will sighed and turned off the car engine. He got up and quickly got the grocery bags he had and headed inside.

It was the only thing he could do to maybe start in trying to make up to Frederick with what had ruined their evening. The man may start to isolate himself again and Will knew that would be bad for both of them.

The cooking had been a means to get Frederick to open up a bit more...maybe because the older man thought he was finally being of use in the house instead of just some prisoner of circumstances.

Will of course had hinted that Frederick was of use and was not a waste of space but the other man’s confidence, something that Will and a few others had considered annoying, seemed to have died when Frederick’s heart stopped the day he got his powers.

Something between them had changed starting that night that Frederick had opened up to him. It then grew when Will had realized that something had changed with Frederick, not just his enhancement...but his overall personality. It seemed like something had shifted and Will looked at the other man in new light. The previous Chilton, the Hospital Administrator, pushed back and was replaced by Frederick, man who loved doing house chores and took care of his dogs. 

Will had some time to think over how he was going to breach the subject and explain his actions to the other man. If anything, Will weighed Frederick’s opinions more so than Jack’s. He wanted Frederick to trust him, more so than he wanted Jack to...which was already saying something.

He pushed open the door and was surprised to see Buster greeting him with a cheery bark.

“Buster!” called Will as he placed the bags on the floor and gathered the dog in his arms. He inspected the dog and was amazed that there was no trace of the wound at all. Sure, Buster needed a bath to get the dried blood out of his fur but he looked to be alright.

Looks like Frederick’s enhancement worked on animals as well.

He glanced up and was a little surprised to see the man sleeping on the floor, the other dogs practically all over him like blankets.

He must have stayed up to look after Buster.

Will couldn’t help but smile. He never did take Frederick for an animal lover...well the Frederick he had met during his stay at the hospital anyway. The Frederick he was living with now was full of surprises.

“Frederick,” began Will as he walked over to the other man and shook him awake. “I think you’ll be more comfortable on the bed.”

Frederick didn’t stir so Will tried again. He must have been exhausted with healing Buster--

There was dried blood on the floor from Frederick’s nose.

Will immediately felt for a pulse and panicked when he thought he couldn’t feel one at first...but there it was, a faint one. But it was there. Frederick was alive...barely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, I wanted to get everyone's input on what a good power/enhancement I could give Abigail. I'm drawing a blank as we speak. Let me know through the comments, or tumblr @wierdogal or via Twitter @MGLojo.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More of filler chapter than anything, just to reassure everyone that a particular character is alright.

**_Chapter 8_ **

“Will…”

Will ignored him as he continued to pace the halls of the FBI’s medical facility.

“Will…”

This was all his fault. Damn it, why did he leave Frederick alone? Why didn’t Frederick listen when Will said to just make Buster comfortable? Why did Frederick have to play the hero and save his dog? Why--

“Will!”

Will stopped and turned to Jack. “I will tackle your ass to the ground if you don’t stop pacing.”

“Jack--”

“He’s alive,” cut off Jack. “He’s not dying or dead. His heart beat grew stronger as we got here...so sit down before I lose my mind and shoot you.”

Will sighed and sat down on the chair next to Jack in the waiting room. “He can’t die right? I mean...he regenerates.--”

“When he’s conscious,” replied Jack. “That one time when his powers activated doesn’t count.”

“He can heal others when he’s conscious,” argued Will. “We haven’t actually looked into how his powers work on himself.” He paused and leaned back. “When he healed himself, he was conscious. His wounds had healed during that first time when he was already awake and alive again.”

“Will…”

"I shouldn’t have left him alone,” said Will sighing and placing his head in his hands. “I should have--”

“What? Brought him along to Hannibal’s?” asked Jack with a raised eyebrow. “You did what you had to, Will. Dr. Chilton knew the risks--”

“Why does he had to take any risks at all, Jack?” hissed Will. “He’s a hospital administrator. He already got cut up once. Why does his life have to be put into jeopardy time and time again?”

Jack looked at him in shock at the sudden outburst. Will stood and resumed pacing, Jack not commenting any further. They waited a couple more minutes when the doctor finally came and gave them an update.

“He’s fatigued,” explained the doctor. “I’m guessing using his powers to heal someone who was at the brink of dead took a toll on his own. He pushed himself much like a marathon runner pushes himself to cross the finish line.”

“He would have felt--”

“Yes,” agreed the doctor, cutting off Will. “I would also assume that Dr. Chilton would have felt tired or light headed but he must have pushed on. Your dog must mean a lot to him.”

“Thank you, Doctor,” replied Jack as the man nodded. “I don’t have to repeat myself when--”

“Not the first hush hush case I’ve handled, Agent Crawford,” replied the doctor with a shrug. “There’s nothing much we can do for Dr. Chilton at this point except prescribe rest and no taxing activities for the next couple of days.”

“Noted. He can leave?” asked Jack.

“You’ll have to carry him,” replied the doctor. “I doubt you’ll be able to wake him. He’s exhausted…”

Jack nodded and they continued to talk about what to do with a recovering Dr. Chilton as Will tuned them all out.

Frederick couldn’t stay with him any longer. He had put the doctor’s life at stake. He was given a choice between taking care of the man or going through with his plans against Hannibal and he chose the later. 

There was no telling if he would make the same choice and Frederick would still come out alive.

Besides, would Frederick even want to stay at his place after what had happened? Will remembered the overwhelming fear he had had felt when he had aimed the rifle at Frederick last night (was it last night? Will felt like it was ages ago).

No, it was best for Frederick if he remained at the FBI safe house.

“I’ll carry him back to the car so we can--”

“No,” said Will, meeting Jack’s eye. “I can’t guarantee his safety anymore.”

“Hannibal won’t--”

“Not just from Hannibal,” replied Will softly. “You weren’t there Jack. He was terrified of me--”

“He must have just found himself back in his own home when--”

“All the more reason why he shouldn’t stay with me,” argued Will. “If I make him remember that day in his house, I’m not of any help to him.”

Jack sighed and ran a tired hand over his face. “Are you sure he’ll be safer with the FBI?”

“Yes.”

Jack sighed again and fished out his phone. “Go. Do whatever it is Hannibal wants you to. I’ll handle the paperwork.”

 

xXx

 

Frederick was still bedridden by the time Jack returned from the crime scene Will had orchestrated with Hannibal. But he was sitting up which was a good sign that at least his strength was returning.

“I’m glad to see you’re awake,” said Jack but Frederick nodded but turned back towards the window. The FBI had simple safe houses all over the country and Jack was lucky enough to secure one close to home.

“Look, Dr. Chilton,” began Jack but Frederick shook his head who immediately regretted the action as it made him dizzy.

“No need to explain, Agent Crawford,” began Frederick barely above a whisper which told Jack just how tired the other man still was, plus the added weight of suddenly being rejected from the one place he had called home for the past few weeks. “I understand why Will didn’t want me at his home any longer. I was dead weight to begin with and--”

“He’s only looking out for your well being Dr. Chilton,” cut off Jack.

“I know,” replied Frederick with a sigh as he laid back down on the bed. “I’m sorry. I’m still not at 100% and--”

“I’ll let you get some rest,” said Jack making his exit but he stopped and turned back towards the man. “For the record, Will is immensely grateful you saved his dog..at the cost of almost your own.”

“I…” began Frederick but stopped himself. He wasn’t playing the hero when he tried to heal Buster. He wanted the dog to be alright. The dogs...Will’s dogs had become friends in his brief stay at Wolftrap and there was no way Frederick was going to sit idly by and watch one of them die. “I wasn’t trying to be a hero, Agent Crawford.”

“No,” agreed Jack. “You just did the right thing. Stupid, I’d give you that. But still the right thing.” Jack offered him a small smile which Frederick returned.

“Try to get some rest, Dr. Chilton,” replied Jack. “You don’t have to worry about being attacked here. Or being lonely.”

Frederick gave him a confused look.

“Will and I have agreed to regularly give you an update,” answered Jack as Frederick swallowed the lump in his throat.

“Will’s coming here?” asked Frederick. “I would understand if he’s generally pissed and wouldn’t--”

“Why on earth would you think that?” asked Jack in confusion.

“I promised I would never use my powers on the dogs and--”

“You saved Buster,” cut off Jack. “I just told you he was grateful.”

Frederick sighed. “Yes, I apologize...I’m not--I’m just not used to this.” He waved his hand towards the room and although it was vague, Jack understood what Frederick meant.

“I know it’s a little late in the game,” began Jack. “But you will get a hang of those powers Dr. Chilton. You might even strengthen them to the point that you won’t exhaust yourself when trying to heal someone fatally wounded.”

“But I don’t have the leisure of time like everyone else who got their powers at a young age and were able to develop them,” replied Frederick with a defeated tone. “I could have easily killed Buster instead of saving him.”

“Well they do say better late than never,” began Jack with a smile. “When this is all over, I’m pretty sure you’ll get the hang of your powers.”

“And if I don’t?”

Jack wanted to roll his eyes but the defeated look the other man was giving him gave him pause. “They won’t dictate your life Dr. Chilton. Not unless you let it.”

Frederick met his eye but soon nodded.

“I’ll let you get some rest.” said Jack again before turning to leave but Frederick stopped him one last time.

“Jack,” the man began. “Thank you.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took a lot of push to write. I couldn't really grasp what I wanted to write at first and I had to rewatch the episode numerous times to really get a grasp of what I wanted to do with this story.

**Chapter 9**

“Hannibal Lecter is your psychiatrist again,” began Freddie as she eyed Will who was looking through her room. “What’s up with that?”

“I was wrong about him,” replied Will as he walked over to the couch. “That’s what’s up with that.”

Freddie blinked and nodded her head. “Maybe you were.” She paused and met Will’s eye. “Maybe you weren’t.”

Will narrowed his eyes, realizing what she was implying but even though he despised this woman, he was not going to let Freddie put herself in danger.

“My story with the Chesapeake Ripper doesn’t have an ending yet,” said Freddie. “Here I thought you’d get a move on since that little op we did.”

“We’re buying time,” replied Will. “Looks like you are too.” Looking at the desk with the many articles used for research.

“You didn’t give me a name, but I’m pretty sure I know who you and Agent Crawford are suspecting,” said Freddie. “The question is who your allegiance truly lies, Will Graham?”

Will studied her. She was brave to imply something like that while the two of them were alone.

“Is Dr. Chilton still alive?” asked Freddie all of a sudden, surprising, Will.

“What do you think?” fired back Will, rising to leave. “This conversation is over.”

“No it’s not,” said Freddie, rising to challenge him. “I have no idea if you, the FBI or Hannibal Lecter is moving me around in circles like some chess piece...but there’s one thing I will get to the bottom of. There are a lot of stories in this mess that I can let go…”

She stopped and met Will’s eye. “But I will never stop looking for the person that killed Abigail Hobbs.” She paused and sat back down. “I will never let that go.”

Will sighed and sat back down, leaning back. “Trust me, Freddie...neither will I.”

“Then--”

“Jack already told you before,” began Will. “For your safety, drop this...for now.”

Freddie sighed and turned towards her desk. “You didn’t answer my question.”

“Which one?”

“Is Dr. Chilton still alive?”

Will turned to her, hiding his amusement. Looks like Frederick made a friend after all during that whole ordeal with Gideon.

“I didn’t know you cared, Freddie.” replied Will standing up and heading for the door. “You won’t trust any answer I give you, you might as well call Jack.”

With that he headed for the door. “I meant what I said, Freddie. You might not trust me now...but eventually you’ll have to trust someone. I pray it’s the right person.”

 

xXx

 

Arriving at an empty house bothered Will more than he initially thought it would.

Frederick had grown on him. Will even considered him a friend now, maybe even more.

When Frederick was living with him, Will wanted Frederick to feel welcome. He even tried to make Frederick feel like he mattered or important because Will hated feeling Frederick putting himself down.

There were times that when Will had gone shopping for their supplies, he would find himself thinking what would the other man want or like. It wasn’t like he was making an effort or anything...it was more like instinct in itself. He wanted to give the other man something he liked, make him feel more at home--

Will turned towards the empty kitchen, devoid of any activity were there usually was as he got home. No dinner cooking or table set for two. Even the dogs looked like they missed the other presence in the house and who could blame them.

After weeks of having someone to go home to, it was immensely disappointing to arrive to an empty home. Well not so empty, given the dogs but it’s not like they can reciprocate conversation.

So it wasn’t his fault that he was slightly relieved that Margot Verger knocked on his door with alcohol.

He maybe was at fault with what happened next…

And of course Will forgot that he was planning to visit Frederick before his dinner with Alana and Hannibal.

Will had been putting off the visit because he hadn’t made much headway on that particular case. Well he did have Freddie Lounds and that would probably reassure Frederick that he had someone else who was looking out for him…

Besides Will, the man who terrified him.

Because that was still the image that would enter Will’s mind every time his thoughts wandered to the other man. That wave of fear that overtook both of them as Will killed Randall Tier.

Ever since Jack had told him that Frederick thought he was mad at the other man, Will had wanted to visit and tell him otherwise but he kept putting it off, not wanting Frederick to ask if he had made any progress with Hannibal.

He didn’t want to disappoint the other man with a negative answer.

Nevertheless he made his way to the FBI safehouse, bringing the entire set of Harry Potter books to give Fredrick something else to do.

He was a little surprised, a little relieved and very disappointed to find Frederick sound asleep on the couch. Surprised that Frederick chose the couch instead of a bed, relieved that it at least gave him more time to process what to say to Frederick and disappointed because it meant Frederick hadn’t fully recovered from his ordeal.

With a sigh, he left the books on one table and headed out only to come face to face with Jack.

“You leaving already?” asked Jack, quietly.

“Dinner with Hannibal and Alana,” replied Will with a shrug. “Could you tell him I dropped by and left those books?”

“You could tell him yourself you know,” replied Jack reaching for his phone. “He still has that number I gave him.”

“Yeah, I--”

“You care about him,” stated Jack plainly. “He cares about you. He thinks your mad at him and you think he’s terrified of you. Frankly, it’s exhausting to talk to you both since you stopped living together and this all sounds too weird to even comprehend. I don’t think it takes an empath or a mindreader to see what’s going on.”

“Jack--”

“Look, I’m not one to butt in on anyone’s personal life,” said Jack, mix of amusement and annoyance. “But you two should talk or else I’m locking you both in a room.”

Jack turned and left before Will could say anything more.

 

xXx

 

Frederick couldn’t believe he had missed Will the previous day. Granted, Frederick was only assuming the other man was even going to stay after dropping off the books Frederick had started reading while staying at Wolf Trap.

He must have been heading to dinner at Hannibal’s and just had an after thought of dropping by the books.

It’s not like Will Graham actually gave a damn about him.

No, Will Graham was just being nice because he was a deeply emphatic person, with or without his enhancement.

Will Graham had agreed to house him for the foreseeable future because Will and Jack probably thought that he would screw up their plans if he was out there under witness protection. He was bound to do something idiotic that would raise the awareness of Hannibal Lecter.

Oh he was being stupid.

None of this people actually gave a damn...they were just doing what they were doing because they wanted him out of their way in catching Hannibal. It was just a lighter way of putting him in jail. Technically they could just have arrested him from the start but that would paint the FBI badly having a man under their custody die.

Frederick sighed and shook his head. This was one of the reasons why he didn’t like being left alone. The mind tends to think of the worst case scenario and you are forced to face your demons…

For Frederick it had always been that his life was a pathetic waste. Not until recently was he a powerless man with a dwindling reputation. His colleagues didn’t respect him and he came to an empty home...devoid of any life which practically mirrored his own.

That realization was always at the back of his mind which is why he tended to stay at the hospital for who knows how long and drown himself with work. Because being left alone with his mind would just bring all those feelings back.

Everything had changed when he started living under the same roof as Will Graham. It actually felt for once in his life that he mattered, that someone depended on him. That someone actually cared what happened to him...and the feeling was mutual. 

Frederick had never had someone to look out for. He was by himself most of his life and he only had to think about his well being and no one else. These days, himself was usually the last thing on his mind. His mind would go to the dogs, hoping they were alright and Will would be at home taking care of them and not on some dangerous case--

He sighed again and stood. He was just digging himself a bigger hole if he kept wallowing. He instead busied himself of trying to think what he could make for a light snack given the groceries that the FBI had just bought.

He had just entered the kitchen when the door slammed open and he quickly made his way to the entry hall only to stop in surprise as Will Graham walked in with a shaken Freddie Lounds. Frederick’s eyes widened at the dried blood underneath the woman’s nose.

“Good to see you again, Dr. Chilton,” began Freddie with a sigh as she turned to Will. “Not the five star hotel I had in mind, but this is way better than your house.”

Will, who was looking at Frederick, opened his mouth to maybe give an explanation but Frederick was a little more concerned with the stiff way Freddie Lounds was moving.

“Are you alright?” asked Frederick as Freddie headed towards the kitchen.

“Me? Never better,” said Freddie as she looked through the safehouse. “Anything edible to eat in here?”

“I was just about to prepare a snack,” replied Frederick with a shrug, avoiding Will’s eye. First there was Randall and now it looked like Freddie had also suffered slightly from the game Will Graham and Hannibal Lecter were planning.

Freddie raised an eyebrow at Frederick then at Will but she was surprised when Frederick suddenly held her hand.

Freddie was just about to ask him what he was doing when Freddie felt her entire body warm up slightly. It wasn’t alarming or anything and soon Freddie did actually feel better. Frederick let her hand go and Freddie immediately rolled up her sleeve and saw that her arms no longer had the bruises she sustained as she and Will had sort of wrestled back at Wolf Trap.

“Wow,” said Freddie then turning to look at Fredrick. “Wow...that was incredible, Dr. Chilton. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” replied Frederick as he turned from her to finally looking at Will. “Anyone going to tell me what’s going on?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I won't be updating for the next month (sorry!) because of a sudden hectic schedule. It's September and graduate courses are upon me...I'll try and update as soon as I can!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good news: Frederick and Will talk, though the outcome isn't really that good...I take it back consider that news only.   
> The real good news? Frederick gets a new housemate and friend!

**Chapter 10**

 

It was only when Jack arrived did Will start explaining.

It hadn’t taken much convincing for Freddie to agree in faking her own death, much like she did for Frederick. Although, this time she wanted to conceive her own demise.

“I should probably--”

“How about I give you suggestions,” countered Freddie with a smile as she finished the plate of food Frederick had given her. “And you decide which one would absolutely tickle the fancy of our dear beloved Hannibal Lecter.”

Jack sighed and fought hard not to roll his eyes. Frederick just looked away and busied himself with cleaning up as Will slumped back in his chair.

“Just don’t make it too theatrical, Freddie,” began Will. “He’ll know something is up.”

“Speaking of theatrics,” began Jack as he rose. “We’d better get a move on. I’ll be calling Hannibal and Alana so they would be witness to me questioning you about this.” He turned his phone and played Freddie’s voice message much to the disdain of everyone’s ears.

“I’ll meet you there,” replied Will as Jack raised an eyebrow but turned to leave. Will turned to Freddie who gave her a devious smile.

“I’ll go wander around,” said Freddie as she got up. “That was delicious, Dr. Chilton. I’m glad I get to have a great cook for a housemate for the time being...especially one who doesn’t serve human remains.”

Frederick rolled his eyes at that one and soon he and Will were standing by themselves in the kitchen.

Neither was meeting the other’s eye and the silence was becoming unbearable--

“I’m sorry,” they said at the same time and Will whipped his head up to look at Frederick. “Why are you apologizing?”

“I...I used my powers on Buster--”

“You saved him,” countered Will in confusion.

“And I could have also killed him,” argued Frederick. “I swear Will, I wasn’t trying to experiment with my powers or anything. I just wanted to help Buster and--”

“Woah, wait, stop,” said Will, walking over to stand right in front of Frederick, placing his hands on the other’s man shoulder. “Calm down. Where is this all coming from?”

“You kicked me out of your house--”

“Because I was dangerous to be around anyone,” said Will. “Especially you. Gods, Frederick, I almost blew your brains out with my rifle. I killed someone right in front of you--”

“You were only doing that to protect me and--”

“Wasn’t it you that said that even if it was for self-defense, killing someone would still make you a killer,” pointed out Will. “I killed Randall without a second thought, Frederick and who knows what I could have done to you too hadn’t I been brought back to reality.”

“And wasn’t it you that said that killing doesn’t automatically turn you into something like Hannibal Lecter,” replied Frederick in a calming voice. “Never.”

“That’s--”

“Look,” said Frederick, raising his voice. “We’re just going around in circles.” He stopped and met Wil’s eye. “I thought you were mad at me for using my powers on Buster when you told me to just make him comfortable. I assumed that you thought I was playing hero with my powers and used your dog as an experiment as yet another stepping stone in my career--”

“I never thought that, Frederick,” said Will, disappointment evident in his voice.

“You did before,” replied Frederick, his voice barely above the whisper but the accusation was like a punch in Will’s gut as he remembered that day in his house when Price and Zeller were asking Frederick about his powers.

“That was before,” began Will. “You’re not the same man who wanted to always be the smartest and well respected man in the room. You’re Frederick, who actually likes taking care of my dogs, who enjoys doing household chores and reads more fantasy novels that I can count.”

“I knew you weren’t safe living under the same roof as me,” continued Will as he ran a tired hand over his face and turned to put some distance between them. “Not only might there be another killer sent my way by Hannibal Lecter...but I, myself am a danger to you.”

“Will…”

“You were back in your house, feeling the same terror when Hannibal Lecter left those bodies in your own home as you tried to stop me from…” Will stopped and shook his head. “I didn’t want you to be put into that position again Frederick. Never would I want to put you in danger.”

“No one is ever really safe in this world, Will,” said Frederick. “Especially with people like Hannibal Lecter out there.”

“Hannibal Lecter and me,” said Will as Frederick shook his head but Will beat him to it. “Like it or not, I am turning into him. It may be my choice so as to get closer to him...but the fact of the matter is, I am still turning into him.”

“No, you’re not,” began Frederick.

“And yet I made you feel the same fear back when Hannibal attacked you,” said Will. “Don’t deny it, Frederick. I felt it. I should be thankful too because it was that tidal wave of emotion that stopped me from almost killing you.”

“You wouldn’t have,” countered Frederick, but the tone of his voice didn’t have anyone convinced.

“You don’t know that,” began Will as he sighed. “Frederick...as much as I enjoyed your company, I couldn’t risk putting your life in danger or making you live in fear of what I might do. You are safer here and I just…”

He stopped and really didn’t know what to say further. “This entire thing will soon be over and you’ll have your old life back. Free of Hannibal Lecter and of me...”

He stopped and met the other man’s eye before turning to leave. Frederick didn’t make a move to stop him, but when he heard the door close. He sighed and stared at the spot where Will last stood. 

“What if I don’t want to be free of you, Will?”

 

xXx

 

Frederick was resigned to the fate that he wouldn’t be getting any sleep until this entire thing with Hannibal Lecter would be over.

And so he just laid on the bed and continued to stare at the ceiling. Having someone else at the FBI safehouse was a welcome thought, even if it was Freddie Lounds who had spent the remainder of the day complaining about the architectural designs of the place.

Jack had filled them in with what had happened with the meeting and it looks like Alana was finally coming to her senses that Hannibal Lecter wasn’t in fact helping Will at all.

“Took her long enough,” snorted Freddie as Frederick remained quiet, suddenly realizing that he had never asked Jack what they had told her.

“Does Alana know I’m alive?”

Jack shook his head. “She knows that we found evidence that suggests Abel Gideon had killed those agents and had orchestrated all of the things that transpired in your house to frame you.”

“What about what happened to Miriam Lass?” asked Frederick.

“She never asked,” replied Jack. “I think she’s just happy that the whole thing with the Ripper is over and her life is no longer complicated.”

“Not complicated?” echoed Freddie. “Right. I hate to be the bearer of bad news.”

Frederick didn’t respond but even if Alana had thought he was capable of killing, he didn’t wish her whole life to crumble down on her like that.

That was one of the things that kept him awake each night. The FBI agents that Hannibal had killed in his home. Alana Bloom. Miriam Lass. All the other people that had been hurt or will be hurt when all was finally revealed.

He and Freddie sort of got a reprieve of being dead for a while and hiding in the FBI safe house...but what about everyone else?

He sighed and got up. He had a house filled with supplies, alcohol being one of them and Will was nowhere in sight to forbid him from drinking his guilt away.

Or so he thought because as he descended the stairs, there was Freddie orchestrating her death.

“Nice of you to join me, Dr. Chilton,” replied Freddie. “I think I finally have the perfect way to orchestrate my death.”

“Should I be worried at how cheery you sound, Ms. Lounds?” asked Frederick.

“Freddie, please,” began Freddie with a smile. “Why so formal? I’ve seen more of you than a normal person would.”

Frederick frowned and Freddie shrugged. “I meant that as a joke...a way to lighten the mood. You know since we are facing quite a danger.”

“We’re not,” replied Frederick as he headed towards the cabinet and got the bottle whiskey he had already opened the day before. “The people out there are.”

Freddie remained silent as Frederick poured both of them a drink. They remained like that for a while until Freddie leaned back on the couch and eyed him. “What’s changed?”

Frederick laughed and drained his glass. “Where to begin, Freddie? I was cut up by a former patient. I thought I actually had a friend but then he turned out to be a cannibalistic serial killer. I thought I was going to prison for the rest of my life. I was a powerless man a few months ago and now I’ve escaped death twice and regrew my kidney.”

He poured himself another glass. “My heart stopped, Freddie. That’s what changed.” He drained his drink in one swallow again and turned to her. “Sometimes, I think maybe it should have stayed like that.”

“Would being dead actually be better?” asked Freddie.

“What do I have to look forward to?” fired back Frederick. “My career is going to be ruined with whatever unethical things Hannibal and I had practiced. My powers are going to be the subject of experiments. Then of course there’s the guilt--”

He stopped himself from talking and looked away. “Dr. Chilton--”

“Will told me to tell Jack everything,” said Frederick. “I was afraid it would ruin my career. I put that first over my own life, over everyone else’s life.” He paused and swallowed the lump in his throat. “If I had told the FBI, actually made an effort to tell them my suspicions, those FBI agents wouldn’t have died. Jimmy Price and Brian Zeller would still have their friend. Alana Bloom wouldn’t be facing the the betrayal of someone she had thought as a close friend...maybe even more. Miriam Lass wouldn’t have to feel the guilt of shooting an innocent man. Will Graham wouldn’t be risking his own sanity to catch Hannibal Lecter.”

Freddie sighed and touched Frederick’s arm, making the man turn to her. “None of those things fall on you, Dr. Chilton. If you want to blame someone, blame Hannibal Lecter.”

She grabbed both their glasses and stood. “And I think what happened to your heart, isn’t that it stopped...but it just restarted. You know how when we’re face with a computer glitch and can’t seem to fix it...how we force it to restart and then suddenly it works better than it had before.”

She stopped and met his eye. “You and I were never close, Dr. Chilton. Granted I didn’t think I’ve ever be worried for your well-being...but after what happened to us with Abel Gideon, and with you and Hannibal Lecter...well, I’m glad you’re still with us. Bruised but with an infinitely better personality than before.”

Frederick snorted but stood and followed her to the kitchen. She washed their glasses and Frederick got both of them a bottle of water each.

“I still feel like I should have done something,” began Frederick.

“You’re doing something now,” replied Freddie.

“I’m hiding in an FBI safehouse until they’ve caught Hannibal Lecter,” countered Frederick.

“Better than being in the wind and leaving the FBI with no witness against Hannibal Lecter,” replied Freddie as she finished with the glasses and turned to him. “Admit it, that was your plan when you went to Will Graham’s house that day.”

“Yes,” admitted Frederick. “You still think I have a better personality than before?”

“You’re still here, aren’t you?” asked Freddie with a smile. “Let me ask you this, Dr. Chilton. When you were all alone in Will Graham’s house, why didn’t you run away?”

“It’s not like I had anything--”

“Pretty sure Will Graham had a stack of money in his house and you had a phone to call for a cab. You had every resources to run, but you didn’t.” Freddie stared him down. “You didn’t because you also want nothing more than to see Hannibal Lecter behind bars and justice be served.”

Frederick sighed and Freddie rolled her eyes in annoyance. “Wow, you’ve really dug up a big hole for yourself, haven’t you?”

“I’ve been stuck with no one but my own thoughts for company, Freddie,” replied Frederick with a shrug.

“Well, now you have me,” replied Freddie. “I told you back when you first woke up after the whole Gideon fiasco that if you ever needed to talk to anyone--”

“I always assumed that was for your article.”

“Well, yes that was a part of it,” replied Freddie with a shrug. “But, like I said, I found myself worrying over your well-being. A shock to me too...but us Freds have to stick together.”

That actually got a laugh from Frederick and Freddie smiled.

“Thank you, Freddie,” began Frederick.

“Anytime,” replied Freddie. “Now are you ready to be amazed at how the incredible and  talented journalist Freddie Lounds will fake her own death?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bad news, this might be the latest update for a while. With my graduate research proposal getting denied once again, I need to focus on it before I end up getting delayed another year. I might have some time to write something next month during my birthday week but no promises.
> 
> What I can promise is come January, I'll be focused to writing stories again. So hopefully, you'll still be there to see how this story unfolds. :)


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> http://wierdogal.tumblr.com/post/179451380078/this-arrived-today-exactly-my-birthday-best

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I was about to prepare for my graduate research presentation, a Customized Pop of Frederick Chilton arrived. Best timing because today, coincidentally, is also my birthday :)
> 
> Though in roughly an hour and a half I have my graduate research proposal presentation. But the universe has given me a sign to not worry and not be nervous, so I decided to actually enjoy my birthday and write!

**Chapter 11**

 

As Will closed his front door on Alana, he sank to the floor. He really needed to talk to someone and back then, that someone would usually have been Alana…

Will sighed as he rested his head to the wall. He was going to be a father and Margot wasn’t exactly asking him to provide for their unborn child but she didn’t forbid him from doing anything either.

His thoughts were suddenly filled with lazy mornings with either a son or a daughter, teaching them how to fish or how to play fetch with the dogs. He would be helping them to bed, reading them a story, maybe even a chapter or two from Harry Potter as Frederick--

Will’s eyes snapped open from the daydream. Since when did Frederick become part of the picture? Well, he was most certainly not going to think of a life like that with Margot. By why Frederick…

Frederick would make an amazing father, Will thought. He’d dote and spoil them but he’d love them unconditionally. He’d make them hot chocolate during stormy nights and let them help him cook. He’d most probably tell them that it didn’t matter if they had powers or not but they would always be special and one of a kind. He’d make them feel wanted and accepted for whoever they were and--

Will stopped and stood. He should stop thinking of Frederick like that. There was no future for Will after this so why indulge in a fantasy that would never come true. His future either would be death or prison with everything that has happened. He doubted the FBI would let him go scotch free just because he aided in the capture of Hannibal Lecter.

As much as he had grown to care about the other man, Will knew that it would be better if he stayed away from Frederick. The sight of those wide terrified green eyes aimed his way still made his stomach turn. What was worse was the fact that he had made Frederick feel that way. Not Hannibal or Gideon or Randall Tier...it was him, Will Graham, aiming a rifle at a man who was just trying to help him.

He had a duty of care for the other man which he had failed at enormously. And yet he still felt responsible...even if the man was no longer living under the same roof.

Will guessed it’s probably because it was his fault that Frederick got shot in the face in the first place. He should have never called Jack---

_“If anything, I should be the one asking forgiveness...it was my fault that--”_

_“I got my powers?” cut off Chilton. “If things didn’t play out as they did, I’d either be on the run  while being hunted by the FBI or dead by Hannibal Lecter’s hands or in a coma. All three of those are worse alternatives than isolation.”_

_“Thinking it over, I’m glad I’m not dead or in prison and that’s mainly due to all of you.”_

“Damn it,” thought Will as he ran a tired hand over his face. Frederick had every right to be mad but he was infuriatingly understanding and forgiving. Why couldn’t he hate Will and the others? That would give Will an excuse not to reach out and still have this sense of duty to keep the man safe.

Will sighed and spotted Buster on his bed, laying next to his phone. He’s recovered from his ordeal and there was really only one person to thank for that and he hadn’t even done that properly...yet.

 

xXx

 

“Admit it,” said Freddie with a smile as he Frederick walked back towards the FBI safehouse. “Come on, Frederick. I know you enjoyed yourself.”

Frederick glared at her for a moment but sighed. “Alright, fine you were right. It was fun to sneak out and run away from the agents who basically told us to get back to the house.”

Freddie had manage to convince him to roam around the grounds were the FBI safe house was. They managed an hour before intentionally being spotted and running towards their own temporary home.

For Frederick, it felt a little exhilarating. He had never done something like that before...granted unethical psychological practices was something illegal but going out with the intention of being caught was never his goal.

Although, it was an unfair advantage when you had someone who ran very fast as a companion.

“I still don’t understand how Will got the jump on you if you have enhanced speed,” began Frederick, looking over the journalist. “I mean, instinct would tell me to run and you just showed me that you’re faster than a bullet.”

“Yeah but like Jack, it uses up energy and if I had ran away from Will’s house to the FBI, I might have died from fatigue,” answered Freddie. “Besides, Will managed to cuff me before I could do anything.”

“What does that feel like?” asked Frederick. Being an administrator of a criminal hospital, the cuff that suppress someone’s power was a usual tool for them. He had never thought or cared about what it could do to someone since he didn’t have powers then.

“Nothing much for me,” replied Freddie with a shrug. “Then again my enhancement isn’t turned on 24/7 unlike others. Maybe for a telepath, it would be a welcome thought...not hearing everyone's thoughts at the back of your head.”

She paused. “But for some people I have talked to, it’s like being numb or incomplete...like you’re hollow for some strange reason.”

“Like being cut off you mean,” began Frederick as he shuddered at the thought. “You know before, I would have hardly cared about this. Maybe because I was bitter about not having powers or I was just a stupid prick--”

“You’re starting with that again?” asked Freddie. “I’m going to drag your ass somewhere if you don’t stop.”

Frederick raised his arms in surrender. “Alright, alright...it’s just--”

“Frederick, you’ve been complaining about the things you’ve missed out because you’ve either been so focused on your career or wallowing in your self pity waiting for your ego to be stroke--’

“Hey!”

“So stop it. Stop focusing on what’s happened and focus on surviving.” She paused and nudged him with her shoulder, looping her arm around his.

“And enjoy life for pete’s sake, however limited it could be at this moment,” continued Freddie. “It’s not like we’re going to be living together for the foreseeable of future.”

“Thank god,” mumbled Frederick, earning him a playful punch on the arm.

“Besides,” began Freddie anew. “I don’t think I’m the person you want to live with when this is all over.”

Frederick was about to ask her what she meant when he turned to see Will Graham just outside the FBI safehouse.

“Will?”

“I see Freddie has dragged you into her adventures, Frederick,” began Will with a hesitant smile.

“It was by force,” replied Freddie with a shrug. “I think I’ll head to my room for a nice long bath and rest...using my powers does have a toll.” She turned and gave Frederick a wink before heading to the house. Frederick glared at her but he was brought out of his thoughts when Will cleared his throat.

“What brings you here?” asked Frederick hesitantly.

“I never properly thanked you for saving Buster’s life,” began Will, equally hesitant. “I, um, tried to cook that lasgana you made before. It’s inside if you wanted--I mean, it’s of course for you and Freddie. But I’m hungry--I mean if you’re hungry and--”

“Will,” began Frederick with a smile, raising his hand to stop the other man from rambling. “Thank you. That’s incredibly thoughtful of you. I am hungry after the little adventure Freddie dragged me into.”

Will motioned towards the house as he and Frederick walked. “I’m glad you...well the last time you were here, it sounded like you didn’t want to see or talk to me ever again.”

“Anyone else would have wanted to avoid a person who got them into FBI custody and shot for the remainder of their life,” began Will. “And yet you are incredible forgiving and understanding...not something I would have guessed from Dr. Chilton of BSHCI.”

Frederick shrugged. “I’ve told you before--”

“And I heard you,” replied Will with a smile as he opened the door. “Well, I finally understood your meaning a few hours ago…” He stopped and really didn’t know what to say or how to voice out what he was currently thinking. “I come to realize that I shouldn’t decide who you want to have in your life or not, or be free off--I mean--You get my point.”

Frederick just smiled and nodded.

They headed towards the kitchen as Will set the table and Frederick heated the food, just like how they did back in Wolf Trap. “You and Freddie seem to be getting along.”

“Who would have thought?” replied Frederick with a chuckle. “My how my life has turned. I’ve been dead for a couple of months and I manage to actually have people to call my friends.”

Will laughed and rolled his eyes. “Only you would find the silver lining in any situation.”

“Oh no, not me,” replied Frederick, raising his hand towards the floor above. “Freddie has managed to threaten me if I wallow anymore she’ll drag me into who knows where.”

“Maybe I should have dragged her into the house sooner, my alcohol supply wouldn’t have been eradicated.” said Will with a laugh but then his expression sombered. “At least you’ve gained a friend, instead of making them think you’re a killer.”

Frederick frowned as he turned to Will. “Alana thinks you killed Freddie?”

Will nodded. “At least she’s finally seeing sense that Hannibal Lecter isn’t good for me.”

“Took her long enough,” replied Frederick. “Well maybe as she comes to her senses, we get another ally in this whole thing. Maybe we could even convince Margot Verger to help us.”

“Yeah, I doubt she’ll want to convict one of her helpers in leaving her brother’s clutches,” said Will.

“One of her helpers?” asked Frederick hesitantly, turning to give Will a concerned look. “Why do I have the feeling the other is you?”

Will sighed. “You have something strong to drink? This conversation is going to need it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If my research proposal passes with flying colors, I might just start updating again. If I have revisions, then I'll see you all in January. If I fail...well, I can always write fics full time :)
> 
> If you guys want to see the Customized Pop, I posted it on my Twitter/IG ([MGLojo](https://twitter.com/MGLojo/status/1055824810519842816)) and on my tumblr ([wierdogal](http://wierdogal.tumblr.com/post/179451380078/this-arrived-today-exactly-my-birthday-best)).


	12. Chapter 12

 Chapter 12

Frederick’s eyes widened as Will finished his story.

“So you and Margot...”

“Yes,” replied Will, draining his glass.

“And she’s…”

“Yes,” replied Will again, refilling his glass.

‘Wow,” began Frederick, meeting Will’s gaze. “Umm, congratulations?”

Will gave him an amused look over his glass and Frederick just shrugged. “I’m not a mind reader or an empath...so I can’t really tell how you are taking the news.”

Will sighed and focused on his glass. “I don’t have an answer to that myself.”

“Well,” began Frederick as Will raised his head to meet his eye. “Do you want to have a child?”

“I--”

“Simple yes or no, Will,” replied Frederick with a hesitant smile. “It’s not rocket science. Without any of the other variables, do you want to have child?”

Will thought about it. Without thinking about the circumstances, Margot’s family, his job, Hannibal Lecter, would he really want-- “Yes.”

“Then, congratulations,” said Frederick with a smile. “It’s not the most conventional way, but Margot Verger wanted a child, you want one and it’s not like either of you are still in--”

Frederick stopped and immediately placed a hand over his mouth. “Umm, pretend you didn’t hear that.”

“Um, ok,” replied Will giving him a look but Frederick’s tone made him push the topic to a later day. “Anyway, Margot said she doesn’t expect anything from me. Whatever I am willing to give or not to give, she won’t hold it against me. But she does want a male influence of her child’s life, just as long as it’s not her brother.”

“Wait,” began Frederick. “She told you this in front of Hannibal Lecter? Would she--I mean--”

Will shrugged. “Desperate times call for desperate measures.”

“Yeah but the likes of Hannibal Lecter should not procreate,” said Frederick.

“You do know he’s been sleeping with Alana right?” asked Will.

“Yeah but I highly doubt Alana wants to have Ripper version 2.0 in the near future,” replied Frederick. “From what I can guess, Margot was going to make sure she has a child in the next year.”

“Hannibal did know about Margot’s plans,” said Will resignedly but then made a face of disgust. “Oh thanks Frederick for putting that thought in my head.”

“Must have passed through Margot’s since she then decided to seek you out,” replied Frederick. “Props for her, she chose the better option. She has good taste.”

Will eyed Frederick as he drained his glass, the other man pretty oblivious to what he just said. “What?”

“Nothing,” replied Will, refilling his glass. “I just...well it’s been plaguing my thoughts ever since I found out but now I’m calmed down a bit. I guess I’ve realized that it’s not really something I have envisioned for myself...but it’s not an unwelcome thought either. Thank you for helping me see that.”

Frederick smiled. “I’m pretty sure you would have reached the same conclusion.”

“No, I would have probably blown it out of proportion,” countered Will. “I really needed another opinion.”

“A second opinion?” asked Frederick with amusement.

“Not like how one second guess their doctor,” replied Will. “A different perspective of...well, a friend, perhaps.”

“I’m glad I could help,” replied Frederick with a shrug but then he a disgusted look. “Oh god, I’m suddenly thankful that I wasn’t living in your house when this all happened. That would have traumatized me for life.”

“Very funny,” said Will with a mix of annoyance and amusement. “It’s not like I was planning on it or anything.”

“Hey, I’m not judging you,” said Frederick in mock surrender. “We all have that dry-spell--”

“Oh please let us talk about something else,” complained Will, covering his face with his hands as Frederick laughed.

 

xXx

 

Will watched as Alana walked away from in the cemetery. He should be used to the disappointment by now. Alana was never going to be his friend again, not until Hannibal was behind bars.

The service ended and Will turned and headed over two other people who were keeping their distance. Both were covered in many layers of coats, scarves and hats with the cold weather….

“You shouldn’t be here,” began Will as the man adjusted his hat and the women smiled.

“Blame her,” replied Frederick as he nudged towards Freddie. “For the record, I was dragged into this.”

“I’m surprised you’re not out of breath,” replied Will as she turned to Freddie.

“It wasn’t that far,” replied Freddie with a shrug. “I could get us back before having the urge to take a nap.” She turned and watched the crowd disperse and Alana Bloom leave. “Enough about that, what did Dr. Bloom have to say?”

“It’s not unusual for a killer to revisit their victims after death,” began Frederick. “I’m guessing Alana is thinking that he killed you and that’s why he’s here.”

“Do all psychiatrist follow the same thought process?” whined Will as he exasperatedly look from Frederick and motioned towards Alana’s retreating car.

“Psychiatrists who consult for the FBI,” replied Frederick with a shrug. “What did you say to her? She didn’t look as convinced that you are the killer you are setting yourself to be.”

“The truth,” replied Will. “That my psychiatrist told me to come today, because it would be therapeutic.”

“He clearly has a good sense of humor,” replied Freddie, looking at her grave and then to Frederick. “Come on.”

“Freddie, we’re--”

“It’s not everyday you can visit your own grave,” replied Freddie with a strained smile, as she walked on ahead. Frederick and Will exchanged a look and followed her.

“We are pushing our luck,” hissed Frederick. “Someone could--”

“And they won’t,” replied Freddie. “Stop being paranoid. Or your just jealous because I got a fake service and your body is supposedly still with the FBI because you’re evidence.”

Will shook his head. Only Freddie Lounds would come up with something like that at a time like this.

They stopped right in front of the grave marker. Freddie sighing as she kneeled down besides her own name.

“Freddie,” began Frederick, his voice concerned.

“Weird to think how close this could have been from being true,” began Freddie, not turning her head to look at the other two.

Will turned to Frederick who gazed around them to make sure that nobody was watching before kneeling besides Freddie and taking her hand away from the grave marker.

“Weirder to actually feel your own heart stop beating for a moment,” replied Frederick with a soft smile. “But some stubborn woman told me to stop thinking too much and focus on surviving.”

Freddie laughed and Will raised an amused eyebrow at the two of them.

“That marker won’t be here for long,” replied Frederick as he helped Freddie up. “And I’ll happily destroy it with a hammer for you.”

“No way,” replied Freddie. “Such a waste. I’ll have it displayed in the exhibit honoring my career.”

Frederick turned to Will and rolled his eyes.

“If you two don’t mind,” began Freddie. “I’d like to visit another grave before we leave...alone.”

The two men nodded and Will knew perfectly well who she was going to visit but stayed back and turned to Frederick with a smile.

“That was...I don’t really know what to say,” began Will with a smile.

“She’s been putting on a strong face,” began Frederick with a shrug. “Hell, she’s gotten me out of the hole I dug out for myself...least I could do is return the favor.”

Will smiled and patted the man on the back. “You’re really quite a long way from the man who I first met in BSHCI.”

“Is that a bad thing?” asked Frederick with a smile.

“No,” said Will as he shook his head and smiled. “It most definitely is not.”

 

xXx

 

“Frederick, I swear I will tie you to a chair if you continue to drive me insane,” said Freddie, not looking up from her phone.

Upon their arrival back from Freddie’s funeral service, agents welcomed them and escorted them to Agent Crawford’s office building then to an empty meeting room to which Frederick has now spent 15 minutes pacing.

“We’ve been violating so many protocols and we’re going to be--”

“Put to detention by the principal?” offered Freddie and Frederick turned and glared at her.

“Freddie, this isn’t funny,” hissed Frederick.

“If Jack wanted to arrest us, we would be in holding cells and not in a meeting room,” replied Freddie as though it was the obvious. “We’re not going to be punished for breaking the rules.”

“Freddie--”

“I seem to recall someone not following the ethical rules--”

“Ok, ok,” began Frederick as he sighed and sat down next to Freddie. “I just--”

“Prefer to be paranoid instead of being a laid back fellow?” offered Freddie, finally looking up from her phone. “Did it ever occur to you that maybe they caught him?”

Frederick glared at her. “You put much faith into the FBI than I ever could, Ms. Lounds.”

“Wow, back to Ms Lounds,” began Freddie with a smile as she leaned back in her chair. “I put much faith in Will Graham...not the FBI.”

“Will was with us,” argued Frederick. “That’s why I don’t think they’ve caught him.”

Freddie eyed him. “You don’t think he’s going to come out of this alive, do you?”

“He doesn’t know if he will be alive after this, if that’s what you’re asking,” replied Frederick, without meeting her eye. “And for the record, I want him to come out of this alive.”

“And Will? What does he want?” asked Freddie. “Not knowing and wanting are two different things.” She paused but Frederick didn’t reply. “Frederick--”

“I trust him,” whispered Frederick. “That’s all I can do for the moment, Freddie.”

Freddie made to reply but movement behind Frederick caught her attention. Frederick saw her tense up and turned towards the door just in time to see Jack Crawford open the door to the meeting room for none other than--

“How was my funeral?” asked Freddie as she stood and smiled at Alana Bloom who stared at the journalist and then at Frederick who sat there, unsure what to do or say.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Frederick had no idea why he was there. It’s not like he had any relative interaction at all with Bedelia Du Maurier.

And yet here he was, with Alana as Jack escorted Bedelia into an interrogation room. A room that was very familiar--

Frederick gasped and looked away. Alana giving him a concerned look.

“Dr. Chilton?” 

Oh that didn’t help at all. Alana had been the one opposite him in that room, as he was handcuffed to the table, not being able to defend himself or prove his innocence and then the window shattered and--

“Breathe, Frederick!”

He wanted to. He really did but it was harder to breathe with each passing second. The bullet was heading towards him, he knew it. Why couldn’t he move? He has lived through this and yet here it was again, replaying in his head just because--

“Frederick!”

There was pain. Pain and fear and then nothingness as though he was a mere spec floating along the air and then suddenly reality slammed back into him. Awareness making him gasp--

Frederick gasped as Alana Bloom’s face finally focused above him.

The door opened and Jack was running into the room. “What happened?”

“Nothing,” croaked Frederick as he tried to stand up, but he was still shaking and Alana grabbed his wrist and held on.

“Calm down, Frederick,” said Alana, her voice hoarse and commanding and Frederick felt himself take a deep breath, his thoughts suddenly going blank as he continued breathing deeply. Frederick turned to her hand still on his wrist and then met her eye.

How could he have forgotten her enhancement was command…

“You good?” asked Alana, and Frederick was amazed at how calm and collected she seemed to be. Not long ago, she thought he and Freddie were dead and that Will was a killer and Hannibal was enabling it...and all those beliefs were shattered a few moments earlier.

Frederick nodded as he slowly stood with the help of Alana and Jack. “I’m sorry...just the interrogation room and it all just came flooding back.”

“I should be the one apologising,” began Jack as he turned to the woman in the other room. “I thought that since you all were in the same field, you could give me insight on what her motives could be.”

“Same as everyone, I guess,” offered Frederick with a shrug. “Getting as far away from Hannibal Lecter as possible.”

“Or staying alive,” argued Alana.

 

xXx

 

The trip to the safe house was abnormally long and awkward and Frederick kept telling himself that it had nothing to do with the person he was with.

It had surprised him when Alana said that she would escort him back to the house when Frederick brushed Jack’s suggestion of having an agent do so.

It’s not like he was the one obliged to break the silence. What was he supposed to say anyway? Sorry that your boyfriend is a cannibalistic serial killer who likes to play around with the lives of people around him.

No, better to keep his mouth shut.

Upon arriving at the safe house, Frederick was met with another dilemma. Technically it wasn’t his house and he was again not obliged to invite Alana inside, especially since he didn’t think she and Freddie would get along.

But as he turned towards the other woman, Frederick was shaken by the blank stare that was on her face. With a sigh, Frederick opened the door and turned to her. “You coming?”

That seemed to have shook Alana from her state and she nodded, killing the engine and following Frederick inside.

Frederick directed her towards the living room and headed upstairs, no doubt to warn Freddie Lounds that she was here. Alana didn’t mind, she shouldn’t even be here but she knew she shouldn’t be alone...especially with everything that’s been happening. She was going to take all the company she could get, even if it was from Frederick Chilton.

“Freddie’s asleep,” said Frederick as he came back down. “Do you want some tea? Or maybe something stronger?”

Alana shook her head, “Driving. Tea would be good though. Thank you.”

Frederick nodded and went to the kitchen. Alana, feeling a little too desperate for company, stood and followed him.

“Dr. Chilton,” tried Alana but she really didn’t know what to say. When she first saw him and Freddie back in that conference room, it felt like the entire world just stopped. Well to be more specific, her entire world.

Because seeing Frederick and Freddie alive meant one thing, that everything Will had said before was true. That Hannibal--

“You don’t have to apologise, Dr. Bloom,” began Frederick as he placed a cup in front of her. “You were just doing your job.”

“But--”

“I had the same profile,” replied Frederick with a shrug. “And nothing in my past, actions or morals, could have disproved the profile. I was a smug bastard who only thought about himself and got what was coming to him.”

“That’s not…” began Alana with a sigh, not daring to look him in the eye. “That’s not true, Dr. Chilton.”

“If that’s the case, then stop thinking you need to apologise,” began Frederick with a small smile. “If there’s someone who truly needs to hear an apology, it’s not me and you know it.

Alana sighed and nodded her head. “I can’t believe I was that blind to…”

“We all were,” began Frederick as he drank his tea. “But in the end, we all saw the truth bit by bit...some truths being forced on to us the harshest way possible.” He stopped and turned to her. “You most of all.”

A few moments of silence fell upon them as they drank their tea. Alana feeling slightly better grounded than before.

“I just can’t believe this is happening,” began Alana, knowing that ranting about it wouldn’t do anyone any good but at least letting it out felt a little therapeutic. “I should have been smarter than this.”

“I know what you mean,” replied Frederick with a chuckle. “I’ve kept most people at arm’s length most of life, only actually trusting a few people. Guess we got the jackpot.”

Alana turned and studied Frederick. This was a whole different person from the person she had been first introduced and the person she had interrogated under the suspicion of being the Ripper. Alana blinked and found green eyes looking at her own and she immediately bowed her head, embarrassed at being caught.

“Dr. Chilton,” began Alana as Frederick shook his head.

“No need to apologise, Dr. Bloom,” began Frederick. “I’d probably would have done the same thing, we psychologists can’t seem to turn it off. Besides I’d like to hear someone else’s opinion of my current state of mind besides Freddie Lounds.”

Alana snickered as she regarded the other man. “You seem--” He gave her a pointed look. “Ok, you are a whole different person since the last time we talked.”

“Heart stopping and getting powers tend to change a person,” replied Frederick and he winced. “I didn’t meant for that to sound hostile, Dr. Bloom. But you of all people would know I was pretty much a man who was full of insecurities and tried to hide them behind a false sense of competence and mediocre intelligence.”

“I would agree with the first part,” began Alana. “But you believed Will, I don’t think that’s a sign of mediocre intelligence.” She paused and met his eye. “Besides, I think that reason why people didn’t take you seriously wasn’t because they thought you weren’t smart, but more of they found you annoying.”

“And by them, you included?” asked Frederick with a raised eyebrow and a small smile. “I wouldn’t hold it against you. I wasn’t much comfortable with my own skin ever since the day my father finally accepted the fact that I didn’t have any powers.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” replied Alana, genuinely.

“Each person’s flaws usually stem from upbringing,” said Frederick with a shrug. “Well according to some principles anyway, I wasn’t much a fan of Freud’s.”

Alana chuckled at that. Who knew Frederick Chilton would actually make for good conversation?

“I do understand what you are saying, though,” began Alana. “You spent your entire life without an enhancement, thinking people will not take you seriously because your own father didn’t. So you compensated with an over inflated ego and an equally annoying pretentious personality to basically tell everyone that you don’t need powers to be a jackass.” She paused. “No offence.”

“None taken,” replied Frederick, his smile growing. “You’re on point, 100 percent.” He paused and studied his tea before meeting her eye again. “You think finally having powers will permanently fix that?”

“You think there’s something to fix?” answered back Alana and Frederick laughed.

“Now I understand why people hate talking to psychologists,” replied Frederick but his expression became somber. “I think there is…”

“In my experience,” began Alana. “There is no clear, immediate fix to anything in life.”

Frederick regarded her words and Alana made to apologise again if she may have said something-- “Maybe when this is all over, you could help me.”

“What?” asked Alana, complete taken aback. Was Frederick suggesting what she was thinking?

“You still practice besides teaching and consulting with the FBI right?” asked Frederick. “Besides, I’m sure I’ll need a psychiatrist to talk to after all this is over and I don’t think anyone would accept me after they find out everything.”

“Dr. Chilton, I…” began Alana but she was at a lost for words. This isn’t exactly what she was expecting when she decided to stay. To be honest, she had expected a rant or Chilton blaming her or enduring a long monologue about how he was the best of them all by surviving two attempts on his life.

An understanding and decent human being was the last person she had expected to find. She was just about to say yes when she realised that things weren’t as clear cut as they are. Hannibal Lecter was still out there and nobody was safe. She couldn’t afford to think that far into the future when everything could still come crumbling down. She needed to act.

Alana shook his head. “Let’s get through one thing at a time first, and then I’ll consider it.”

Frederick frowned. “You don’t think Will and Jack will catch him?”

“I’m not going to leave that to chance,” said Alana as she handed him back the cup. “They may think that they are a step ahead of Hannibal Lecter. But no one is ever a step ahead of him.”

“Dr. Bloom--”

“Thank you for your time, Dr. Chilton,” said Alana as she headed for the door.

“Wait,” began Frederick, looking at her with concern. “I’ve seen that look before...what are you planning?”

Alana didn’t turn her head as she grasped the doorknob. “Like I said, I’m not going to leave it to chance.”


End file.
